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Opigiogs  of  tbe  Press 


From  the  San  Francisco  Chronicle 

A  READABLE  RECORD  OF  TRAVEL — There  is  no  literary  quality  in 
"Travel,"  by  Etnil  Klopfer;  the  narrative  of  the  author's  remarkable 
experiences  in  all  quarters  of  the  globe  is  frequently  marred  by  gram 
matical  errors ;  but  the  story  is  so  full  of  genuine  human  nature  and 
so  abounding  in  stirring  incident  that  any  one  who  picks  it  up  will  be 
sure  te  read  it.  The  author  seems  to  have  been  born  with  the  true 
passion  for  travel.  As  a  lad  he  left  Hamburg  for  the  Phillipines,  but 
after  spending  some  time  in  Manila  he  began  that  life  of  adventure 
which  carried  him  from  China  to  California  and  from  Panama  to  Peru, 
Incidentally,  he  fought  in  the  Army  of  Maximilian  and  was  in  the  pay 
of  a  Central  American  dictator.  The  volume  leaves  him  in  Chile,  but 
he  promises  in  another  to  take  up  his  wanderings.  What  will  impress 
any  reader  of  this  book  is  the  real  Americanism  of  the  author.  Born 
in  Hamburg  and  bred  under  conditions  of  life  very  different  from  ours, 
he  early  developed  the  passion  for  personal  freedom  which  can  best  be 
gratified  in  America.  He  had  also  the  American's  hearty  contempt 
for  a  man  who  cannot  turn  his  hand  to  any  useful  work.  In  his  time 
he  served  as  foremast  hand  and  fireman  at  sea  and  as  woodchopper, 
farmer,  miner,  dishwasher,  car  driver,  and  horse  trader  on  land.  In 
all  his  adventures  there  is  the  breezy  confidence  of  a  hero  of  Smollett 
or  Fielding,  which  is  rarely  found  nowadays  and  which  is  very  enjoy 
able.  One  may  also  learn  much  of  human  nature  from  this  book,  in 
which  the  author  has  shown  so  little  reticence.  Its  best  lesson,  per 
haps,  is  that  sterling  good  qualities  may  be  found  in  all  races  and  that 
he  makes  a  great  mistake  who  starts  out  with  prejudices  against  any 
race  because  of  color  or  customs.  No  better  moral  lesson  was  ever 
preached  than  in  the  short  account  of  the  German  Count  who  proved 
so  dismal  a  failure  as  a  dishwasher  in  a  San  Francisco  Hotel,  yet 
whose  foolish  pride  in  his  name  and  ancestry  remained  even  when  he 
was  forced  to  beg  for  bread.  The  book  contains  many  episodes  of  life 
that  are  extremely  interesting,  because  of  the  absolute  lack  of  self- 
consciousness  with  which  thev  are  told. 


From  the  New  York  World 

A  man  who  has  had  a  good  many  adventures  in  this  life,  and  made 
noi.es  of  them,  has  the  right  to  print  them,  if  he  pleases,  at  his  own 
expense,  and  this  Mr.  Ernil  Klopfer,  of  Alameda,  Cal.,  has  done.  His 


book,  "Travel  and  Experiences,"  private  and  personal  as  it  is  to  a 
great  extent,  is  much  more  interesting  than  many  more  pretentious 
books  of  travel. 


From  the  San  Francisco  Call 

The  life  of  any  man  contains  matter  of  interest  for  other  men. 
Much  more  the  lives  of  those  among  us  who,  fond  of  adventure,  have 
wandered  over  the  face  of  the  earth.  "  Travel,  Reminiscences  and 
Experiences,"  by  Emil  Klopfer,  will  prove  pleasant  reading  to  those 
who  love  changing  scenes  and  conditions.  It  is  a  plain  unvarnished 
narration  of  the  writer's  experiences  in  various  countries.  At  an  early 
age  Emil  Klopfer  left  Hamburg,  and,  on  a  sailing  vessel,  voyaged  to 
the  Phillipine  Islands.  In  the  light  of  modern  ocean  travel  his  experi 
ences  are  curious  reading.  Then  he  made  his  way  to  California,  Nica 
ragua,  Mexico,  Cuba,  Argentine,  Chile,  etc.,  in  each  country  earning 
his  own  living  and  saving  money  for  future  journeys.  A  jack-of-all- 
trades  he  must  have  been  gifted  with  great  powers  of  adaptability. 
A  man  who  can  turn  to  and  work  as  a  sailor,  a  miner,  a  ditch  digger,  a 
steamship  fireman,  a  fruit-peddler,  a  boot-black,  a  newspaper  boy,  a 
farmer,  a  soldier,  a  coat  trimmer,  a  book-keeper,  a  steward,  etc.,  could 
have  no  difficulty  in  getting  along.  Among  other  experiences  he  served 
as  a  soldier  on  the  side  of  Maximilian  in  the  Mexican  War,  and  his 
account  of  that  event  is  very  instructive. 

From  the  Oakland  Tribune 

Emil  Klopfer,  of  Alameda,  has,  under  the  title  of  "  Travel,"  just 
issued  a  very  interesting  work  reminiscent  of  his  experiences  in  the 
four  quarters  of  the  globe.  Starting  in  from  his  birthplace  in  Ham 
burg,  he  takes  his  readers  to  the  most  interesting  parts  of  the  world, 
and  in  a  vigorous,  graphic  style  describes  his  adventures  and  impres 
sions,  at  the  same  time  giving  strict  attention  to  matters  of  geographical 
and  historical  interest.  It  is  a  book  that  is  readable  in  every  page,  and 
should  command  a  big  sale. 

From  the  iSew  Orleans  Picayune 

The  author  of  this  extremely  fascinating  book  is  a  German,  well 
educated,  able  to  express  himself  to  the  point,  who,  in  his  youth, 
possessed  with  the  fever  of  travel,  left  his  home  in  Hamburg  and  set 
out  to  see  the  world.  He  sailed  first  to  Manilla,  and  thence  to  China. 
Then,  his  money  giving  out,  he  shipped  as  a  common  sailor  and  reached 
San  Francisco,  and  so  to  various  other  parts  of  the  world.  He  was  now 
a  sailor,  again  a  waiter,  a  bootblack,  a  fruit  peddler,  a  newsboy,  an 


organ  grinder  a  cowboy,  a  soldier  in  the  army  of  Maximilian,  and  a 
little  of  everything  else.  His  adventures,  observations  (very  practical 
and  wise  they  are)  and  experiences  are  narrated  in  an  artless,  direct 
manner,  which  reminds  the  reader  strongly  of  Robinson  Crusoe.  But 
Robinson  never  had  more  thrilling  adventures  than  are  here  nar 
rated.  The  adventurer  is  cast  away  on  the  China  Sea,  takes  part  in  a 
fierce  and  bloody  battle  against  a  horde  of  Chinese  steerage  passengers, 
who  try  to  capture  the  veesel,  is  mangled,  bruised  and  left  for  dead  on 
a  Mexican  battle  field,  and  has  a  hundred  other  thrilling  adventures, 
which  makes  the  reader  doubt  whether  the  tale  be  truth  or  fiction.  It 
reads,  anyway,  wonderfully  like  the  truth,  and  whether  true  or  not 
makes  most  delightful  reading  for  the  lover  of  adventure. 


From  the  San  Francisco  Report 

"  Travel  "  is  the  somewhat  unusual  title  of  a  book  by  Emil  Klopfer 
The  author  has  unquestionably  the  stuff  in  him  that  makes  the  traveler. 
There  are  two  kinds  of  travelers.  One  is  the  gilded  youth,  whose  edu 
cation  is  not  complete  until  he  has  made  th^  grand  tour,  which  runs  in 
certain  well-known  grooves.  He  has  plenty  of  money  and  every  facility 
for  making  travel  a  luxury. 

The  other  is  such  as  our  author,  who  has  practically  nothing  but  his 
own  indomitable  determination.  But  of  such  is  the  real  traveler  com 
posed.  The  story  of  his  adventures  will  revive  memories  of  glorious 
Robinson  Crusoe,  the  hero  of  our  boyish  days,  not  from  any  especial 
resen* blance  between  them,  but  from  the  manner  of  telling.  Alto 
gether,  it  can  be  recommended  as  being  one  of  the  most  interesting  of 
its  kind. 


From  the  San  Jose  Mercury 

Mr.  Klopfer  is  both  the  author  and  the  publisher  of  hie  book,  and 
in  the  character  of  an  author  deserves  better  treatment  than  as  a  pub 
lisher  he  has  accorded  to  himself.  He  has  traveled  far  and  wide  under 
circumstances  so  different  from  those  of  most  travelers,  that  his  story 
possesses  qualities  not  usually  found  in  works  of  the  kind.  He  has  not 
been  simply  a  visitor  to  noted  scenes  and  places,  but  a  worker  in  many 
lands.  His  book  deals  not  with  descriptions  of  scenery  and  themes 
worn  threadbare  by  many  writers,  but  with  his  personal  adventures, 
and  these  have  been  sufficiently  varied  to  be  interesting  at  almost  all 
times.  As  an  illustration  of  the  various  aspects  under  which  he  saw 
the  world,  it  may  be  stated  that  he  crossed  the  Pacific  Ocean  as  a  sailor, 
worked  in  Vancouver  as  a  miner,  in  Oregon  as  a  waiter,  in  California 
as  a  fruit  peddler,  a  bootblack  and  a  newsboy,  a  farmer  and  a  miner, 
served  in  Mexico  as  a  soldier  under  Maximilian,  was  an  organ  grinder 


in  the  West  Indies,  a  car  driver  in  New  York,  a  book-keeper  in  Brazil,  a 
wood  chopper  in  Argentine,  a  horse  trader  in  Chili,  and  a  saltpetre  con 
tractor  in  Peru.  His  many  adventures  in  these  various  employments 
are  narrated  with  no  great  literary  skill,  but  with  a  sufficient  directness 
and  vigor  to  make  them  vivid  and  entertaining. 


From  the  New  York  Recorder 

In  "  Travel  "  Emil  Klopfer,  of  Alameda,  Cal.,  tells  part  of  the  story 
of  a  model  soldier  of  fortune ;  of  his  experiences  in  many  lands  and 
many  trades — car  driver  in  New  York,  soldier  in  Mexico,  coal  trimmer 
at  sea,  and  the  like.  It  is  an  interesting  book,  as  any  book  must  be 
which  deals  with  raw  facts  not  badly. 


From  the  Han  Luis  Obispo  Tribune 

Once  upon  a  time  books  of  travel  were  read  and  written  for  the 
information  they  contained  of  the  places  visited  and  described.  To 
day,  such  has  been  the  multiplication  of  such  books,  so  complete  are 
the  guide  books  and  atlases,  and  the  extended  use  of  photography  and 
engraving,  that  there  are  few  prominent  places  in  the  world  which  offer 
to  the  traveler  an  opportunity  to  tell  new  tales  which  will  be  received 
with  much  favor  by  the  attentive  reader.  The  world  is  covered  with 
beaten  tracks  which  ramify  in  every  direction,  and  about  which  only 
a  personal  inspection  can  give  new  impressions.  To-day  the  book  of 
travels  is  in  reality  only  a  picture  of  the  writer.  The  reading  public  is 
chiefly  interested  in  seeing  what  sort  of  an  impression  is  produced  upon 
the  individual  writing  by  the  familiar  scenes.  In  this  view,  we  think 
the  unpretentious  work  of  Mr.  Emil  Klopfer  will  be  read  with  much 
curiosity.  He  presents  a  character  of  an  unusual  kind.  The  book 
might  rather  be  entitled  a  biography,  and  as  such  is  worth  studying, 
It  is  the  life  history  of  a  young  German  imbued  with  an  inveterate 
desire  for  wandering  over  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  who,  without 
means  or  influence,  makes  his  way  to  the  remotest  corners  of  the  earth, 
eternally  hungering  for  new  sights  and  new  people,  and  managing  to 
go  where  he  will.  Occasional  hardships  only  lend  zest  to  his  enjoy 
ment.  The  constantly  recurring  fact  that  he  is  a  penniless  stranger  in 
a  strange  land  does  not  in  the  least  trouble  him.  With  a  fine  contempt 
for  money  grubbing,  and  an  utter  disregard  for  social  caste,  the  first 
occupation  that  offers  itself  to  him  is  promptly  embraced,  with  the 
result  that  he  runs  the  gamut  of  all  known  employments.  Withal  he 
has  a  keen  appreciation  of  the  main  chance,  and  whether  he  is  figuring 
as  a  merchant,  miner,  cook  or  organ  grinder,  in  any  and  every  position, 
he  fills  his  pockets.  But  that  end  attained,  he  drops  his  job  and  is  off 
again  to  some  other  region  which  promises  novelty  to  him.  The  book 
is  a  plain  unvarnished  tale,  as  simple  and  candid  as  De  Foe  might  have 
told  it,  and  of  course  abounds  in  interesting  incident  and  adventure. 


From  the  Philadelphia  Press 

Emil  Klopfer's  volume  of  reminiscences  and  experiences,  collect 
ively  entitled  "Travel  "  is  a  delightful  bundle  of  chatty  sketches,  full 
of  interesting  incident. 


TRAVEL J 


REMINISCENCES 

AND 

EXPERIENCES 


BY 

KLOPKER 


ALAMEDA,  CAI,. 
KIvOPFER,  PUBLISHER 

1894 


Copyright,  1894,  by  EMIL  KLOPFBB 


All  Eights  Reserved 


book  contains  the  account  of 
travels  and  experiences  of  a  young 
man,  whose  greatest  desire  from 
childhood  was  to  seek  Nature  in  her 
grandest  and  most  charming  moods, 
and  to  acquaint  himself  with  the  customs,  habits  and 
peculiarities  of  her  many  children. 

Every  one,  has  perhaps,  had  at  one  time  the  same 
desire,  but  found  no  opportunity  of  realizing  it;  such 
will  read  this  book  with  interest  and  pleasure,  and  will 
find  in  it  a  true  friend  of  a  similar  mind. 


THE  AUTHOR. 


ALAMEDA,  CAL. 
1894 


(ill) 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

1.  From  Hamburg  to  Manila 9 

Passenger 

2.  Phillipines — China 61 

3.  Pacific  Ocean 78 

Sailor 

4.  California 93 

5.  Vancouver  Island 99 

Miner 

6.  Oregon 103 

Waiter 

7.  California 105 

Ditch  Digger 

8.  Pacific  Ocean ;     ...  109 

Fireman 

9.  California 118 

Fruit  Peddler 
Boot-black 

Newspaper  Boy 

(v) 


vi  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

10.  California 124 

Farmer 

11.  California 132 

Miner 

12.  Nicaragua 136 

Planter 

13.  California 141 

Vegetable  Dealer 

14.  California 145 

Runner 

Dish-washer 

Cook 

15.  Mexico 154 

Soldier 

16.  West  Indies  .     .  159 

Organ  Grinder 

17.  Cuba     ....  169 

18.  From  Havana  to  New  York 173 

Passenger 

19.  From  New  York  to  Hamburg     ....  179 

Goal  Trimmer 

20.  From  Hamburg  to  New  York     ....  184 

Emigrant 


CONTENTS  vii 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

21.  Mexico 196 

Soldier 

22.  New  York 219 

Driver 
Conductoi 

23.  West  Indies — Nueva  Granada — Venezuela 

—Brazil       , 228 

Steward 

Book-keeper 

Broker 

24.  Argentine— Chili 239 

Wood-chopper 

25.  Chili— Peru 257 

Horse-trader 
Saltpetre  Contractor 


TRAVEL 

REMINISCENCES  AND   EXPERIENCES 


CHAPTER  I 

JRN  at  Hamburg,  I  had  from 
my  earliest  childhood  the  brisk 
and  active  life  of  a  great  and 
world-renowned  'commercial 
metropolis  all  about  me. 

The  innumerable  incoming 
and  outgoing  vessels,  the  con 
stantly  changing  scene  and 
action  which  the  whole  year  round  was  presented 
to  one's  view  in  the  safe  and  spacious  harbor,  made 
such  an  indelible  impression  upon  my  mind,  that, 
even  as  a  child,  the  riverside  was  my  favorite 
resort.  I  stood  there  for  hours  at  a  stretch,  watch 
ing  with  the  liveliest  interest  the  wind  and  weather- 
beaten  vessels  that  came  sailing  up  the  river  from 
foreign,  lands,  picturing  to  myself  the  strange  and 
exciting  scenes  the  men  aboard  them  might  have 

(9) 


10  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

experienced  in  those  out-of-the-way  parts  of  the 
world. 

But  it  was  still  more  attractive  in  the  sunny 
spring-time,  when  vessels,  bound  for  tropical  coun 
tries,  glided  on  the  tide,  or  in  tow  of  the  puffing, 
snorting,  little  tugs,  down  the  Elbe.  My  desire 
to  go  along  was  then  often  so  strong  that  I 
could  hardly  conquer  my  inclination  to  run  away 
from  home  to  see  the  world. 

These  scenes,  so  dear  to  me,  worked  in  such  a 
way  upon  my  mind  that  it  became  my  one  ambition 
to  leave  Europe  as  soon  as  possible.  During  the 
day  my  thoughts  were  wandering  about  in  different 
parts  of  our  beautiful  world,  and  at  night,  in 
pleasant  dreams  I  found  myself  amid  the  forest,  or 
on  the  plains  of  South  and  North  America. 

When  I  quitted  school  I  was  scarcely  fourteen 
years  of  age,  but  in  spite  of  my  youth  I  would  have 
left  Europe  at  once  with  pleasure.  In  Germany  no 
one  will  admit  self-reliance  to  be  a  virtue  in  young 
people,  and  all  elderly  persons  insist  that  they 
must  be  guided  exactly  as  little  children.  In  my 
family  the  same  idea  prevailed,  and  an  aversion  to 
causing  trouble  by  any  act  of  mine,  determined  me 
to  submit  to  the  wishes  of  my  people,  and  to  accept 
the  position  of  an  apprentice  to  a  commercial  firm. 

I  felt  ashamed,  that  I,  a  strong,  sturdy  youth, 
confident  of  his  ability  to  make  his  own  way  in  the 
world,  was  obliged  to  submit  to  being  clothed  and 
supported  during  a  three-years'  apprenticeship  by 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  11 

my  relations,  and  to  give  my  labor  without  remun 
eration  of  any  kind,  merely  in  the  interest  of  my 
chiefs. 

When  parents  feed  and  clothe  their  sons  until 
they  leave  school,  which  in  many  families  is  of 
itself  a  great  burden,  one  would  think  that  the 
parents  should  expect  to  see  them  supporting  them 
selves  by  their  own  unaided  efforts,  and  without  the 
assistance  of  any  one. 

Numbers  of  establishments,  ranging  from  the 
pettiest  shoemaker  shop  to  the  largest  and  wealthi 
est  commercial  houses,  are  kept  in  existence  solely 
through  the  revenue  from  their  apprentices  and 
their  unsalaried  services. 

In  some  places  the  term  of  apprenticeship  is 
three,  in  others  four,  and  in  some  even  five  years. 
The  boys  render  obedience  and  service  for  abso 
lutely  nothing,  and  when,  perhaps,  a  few  dollars  are 
given  them  as  a  Christmas  present,  these  short 
sighted  youths  are  completely  overcome  by  the  lib 
eral  generosity  of  their  kind-hearted  masters  ! 

To  leave  one's  apprenticeship  before  the  stip 
ulated  time  has  expired,  according  to  German 
ideas,  disgraces  not  only  the  apprentice,  but  his 
family  also. 

The  desire  to  shorten  my  term  of  apprentice 
ship  by  the  simple  but  effective  means  of  leaving  my 
employer's  service  came  very  often  into  my  mind, 
and  only  a  reluctance  to  cause  my  relatives  any 
trouble  deterred  me  from  carrying  the  idea  into  effect. 


12  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

I  learnt  what  I  could  during  my  hours  of  work, 
and  used  the  rest  of  my  time  in  studying  and  in 
creasing  my  knowledge  of  those  things  which  had 
more  interest  for  me,  and  which,  as  I  thought,  would 
perhaps  some  day  prove  of  greater  value  to  me. 

In  Germany  a  young  man  who  wishes  to  see 
the  world  and  gain  knowledge  by  practical  exper 
ience,  has  always  to  contend  with  a  great  many 
difficulties  placed  in  his  way  by  relatives,  and 
especially  when  those  relatives  had  never,  or  at 
least  very  seldom,  traveled  beyond  the  boundaries 
of  their  native  city. 

Advice  and  expostulation  are  brought  to  bear, 
all  tending  to  convince  the  adventurous  youth  that 
it  would  be  far  better  to  earn  a  living  at  home  than 
to  venture  amid  the  dangers  and  temptations  of 
the  great  outside  world. 

Whether  those  ideas  are  sound  or  not,  I  will 
leave  to  the  decision  of  others.  I  know  that  they 
made  no  impression  upon  me,  and  that  they  only 
strenghtened  my  desire  to  get  out  of  the  Old  World 
as  soon  as  possible. 

When  I  had  finished  my  apprenticeship  in 
Hamburg  I  was  told  that  I  could  go  to  the  Philip 
pines,  and  in  order  to  get  away  from  Europe  I  eag 
erly  accepted  the  proposition. 

In  the  early  part  of  1861,  I  took  passage  by  a 
sailing  vessel,  the  Bella  Gallega,  bound  direct  to 
Manila,  and  in  the  delightful  excitement  of  antici 
pation  I  could  hardly  wait  for  the  vessel  to  sail. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  13 

In  those  days  the  trade  with  the  Philippines 
was  so  insignificant  that  the  Bella  Gallega  was 
delayed  for  months  before  sufficient  freight  could 
be  secured  to  complete  her  cargo.  At  length  the 
consignees  advised  me  that  the  vessel,  on  account 
of  her  draught,  had  dropped  down  to  Brunshausen 
to  take  the  remainder  of  her  cargo,  and  that  she 
would  sail  within  a  day  or  two.  I  therefore  joined 
her  at  once,  but  was  astonished  to  hear  from  the 
officers  on  board  that  at  least  a  week  would  elapse 
before  she  would  be  ready  to  sail.  I  placed  my 
baggage  in  my  cabin  and  decided  to  return  to  Ham 
burg,  spending  the  few  days  yet  left  to  me  in 
Europe  with  my  relations  and  friends. 

At  the  end  of  the  week  I  returned  to  Bruns 
hausen,  where  I  heard  the  same  old  story  again,  and 
indeed,  I  could  see  for  myself  that  nothing  about 
the  ship  herself  indicated  a  speedy  departure,  but 
as  I  did  not  feel  inclined  to  return  to  Hamburg,  I 
possessed  myself  wTith  patience  and  remained 
aboard. 

The  days  of  waiting  I  got  through  as  best  as  I 
could  ;  the  mornings  were  spent  in  long  walks  to 
Stade  or  other  places  in  the  vicinity;  the  after 
noons  in  playing  billiards  or  nine-pins  with  our 
German  pilot ;  and  the  evenings  in  playing  chess 
with  my  shipmates,  during  which  amusements  the 
conversation  had  to  be  carried  on  by  signs,  as  they 
could  neither  understand  me  nor  I  them.  But  at 
the  end  of  about  a  week,  the  captain,  with  the  rest 


14  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

of  the  passengers  having  arrived  from  Spain,  we 
sailed. 

The  Bella  Gallega,  between  whose  wooden  walls 
I  was  to  find  my  only  home  during  the  next  five  or 
six  months,  was  a  Spanish  ship  of  ahout  900  tons 
register.  Her  long  yards,  her  heavy  masts  and  rig 
ging  gave  to  the  dark  and  gloomy  interior  of  the 
vessel  an  additional  shadow.  Everything  aboard, 
even  the  peculiar  ship's  odor,  seemed  strange  to 
me. 

The  vessel,  built  in  Manila,  of  the  strong 
Molave  wood,  was  a  little  more  than  forty  years  old. 
Of  a  plump  and  clumsy  model,  she  was  a  slow 
sailer  and  a  bad  sea  weatherer  ;  but  her  cabins, 
staterooms  and  quarter-decks  were  large  and  spa 
cious,  and  in  these  respects,  at  least,  she  promised  a 
pleasant  and  comfortable  voyage. 

Beside  the  captain  and  two  mates,  we  had  a 
carpenter,  boatswain,  cook,  dishwasher,  two  cabin 
boys  and  thirty  men-before-the-mast  in  our  ship's 
company. 

The  captain,  Don  Bautista  Onaindi,  and  the 
carpenter  were  European  Spaniards  ;  the  mates 
Mestizos ;  the  balance  of  the  crew  Indios  from  the 
Philippines. 

My  traveling  companions  were  :  Dona  Anselma 
Suarez  from  Malaga,  with  her  little  son,  Juanito, 
and  Don  Vicente  Onaindi,  brother  of  the  captain. 
Consequently  there  were  in  all  six  Europeans  aboard, 
of  whom,  save  myself,  all  spoke  the  Spanish  Ian- 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  15 

guage.  The  mates  spoke  Spanish  also,  but  they, 
as  well  as  the  crew,  preferred  their  own  native 
tongue — Tagaloc. 

Shortly  after  the  captain  arrived  on  board  we 
were  taken  in  tow  by  a  small  tug,  and  glided  down 
the  river.  Close  to  Cuxhaven  the  tug  cast  off,  and 
opposite  Neuwerk  we  dropped  our  pilot. 

The  weather  was  delightful  and  the  wind 
favorable.  Past  the  Island  of  Heligoland,  along  the 
German,  Dutch  and  Belgian  coasts,  towards  the 
Channel,  we  sailed  under  full  canvas. 

The  old  ship  made  a  fairly  quick  run  across 
the  North  Sea,  and  we  expected  to  have  the  same 
good  fortune  in  our  run  down  the  Channel.  But 
our  fond  expectations  were  doomed  to  disappoint 
ment  ;  before  we  had  scarcely  reached  the  entrance  to 
the  Channel  the  wind  and  weather  changed  com 
pletely,  and  as  a  little  later  a  dense,  impenetrable 
fog  settled  down  over  the  sea,  our  captain  thought 
it  best  to  come  to  anchor. 

The  number  of  ships  constantly  cruising 
about  in  so  narrow  a  sheet  of  water  as  the  Channel 
are  compelled  out  of  regard  for  their  own  safety  to 
use  the  utmost  precaution,  especially  in  foggy  or 
stormy  weather.  During  the  balance  of  that  day 
and  the  following  night,  every  ship  within  hearing 
distance  kept  her  fog  horn  sounding,  and  the  dreary, 
God-forsaken  moaning  and  groaning  across  that 
ghostly  expanse  of  mist-laden  sea,  produced  an  im 
pression  upon  my  mind  that  time  has  not  eradicated. 


16  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

By  the  next  morning  a  strong  southerly  breeze 
had  lifted  the  fog,  and  when  the  sun  rose  lighting 
up  the  holdly  rugged  coast  of  England,  we  had 
before  us  a  most  beautiful  panorama.  We  lay 
about  two  miles  off  shore,  immediately  opposite 
Dover,  surrounded  by  hundreds  -of  other  vessels, 
which,  like  ourselves,  were  pitching  and  rolling  in 
the  short,  choppy  sea  of  the  Channel. 

Innumerable  fishing  smacks  could  be  seen  in 
every  direction,  loaded  with  the  last  night's  catch, 
returning  to  port.  Some  of  these  small  craft 
came  alongside  and  exchanged  for  a  few  bottles  of 
gin  or  brandy  whole  basketsful  of  the  choicest  fish. 
Getting  our  anchors  aboard,  we  made  sail  and  with 
the  wind  on  our  beam  beat  up  the  Channel,  but  in 
a  few  hours  the  fog  came  down,  as  thickly  as  ever, 
and  once  more  we  sought  safety  in  our  anchors  and 
fog-horns. 

The  sea  ran  high,  a  storm  of  wind  and  rain  set 
in,  and  so  unfavorable  was  the  weather  that  it  took 
us  almost  a  week  to  get  out  of  the  Channel  into  the 
open  ocean. 

We  had  scarcely  left  Cuxhaven,  when,  in  spite 
of  the  tranquillity  of  the  North  Sea,  I  felt  the 
horrible  sensation  of  sea-sickness  coming  over  me, 
but  in  the  Channel,  where  our  vessel  was  tossed  and 
jerked  about  most  pitilessly  I  became  worse,  and 
suffered  dreadfully.  Acting  upon  the  advice  of  our 
captain,  I  remained  on  deck  in  the  fresh  air, 
instead  of  following  my  own  inclination  and  seek- 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  17 

ing  my  berth.  His  ideas  in  regard  to  sea-sickness, 
and  I  have  since  proved  the  practicability  of  them 
by  actual  experience  and  observation,  were  that  no 
medical  man  can  prescribe  any  remedy  for  it,  and 
that  the  only  relief  from  the  horrible  sensation  is 
to  be  found  in  nourishment  and  in  the  fresh  air  on 
deck.  Of  course,  such  a  treatment  requires  a  good 
amount  of  moral  courage  to  carry  out,  but  those 
who  have  it  will  always  find  it  efficacious. 

Heavily  dressed  and  wrapped  in  oil  skins,  I 
remained  on  the  quarter-deck  in  the  worst  of 
weather,  trembling  all  over  from  cold  and  nervous 
ness,  the  latter  caused  by  continuous  vomiting.  I 
became  at  last  so  weak  and  was  in  such  a  wretched 
condition  that  life  seemed  to  have  lost  all  its  attrac 
tions,  and  I  often  thought  that  the  hour  of  death 
could  not  be  far  away.  Sea-sickness,  with  all  its 
horrors,  is  at  the  same  time  entirely  harmless,  never 
proving  fatal,  although  one  expects  death  almost 
hourly. 

Six  long  and  weary  days,  appearing  to  me  as 
so  many  years,  I  suffered  the  most  horrible  tortures 
before  I  began  to  recover.  My  meals  were  brought 
to  me  on  deck,  where  I  lay,  lashed  to  the  mizzen- 
mast,  more  dead  than  alive.  The  odor  even  of  food 
was  repulsive  to  me,  but  in  spite  of  this  I  always 
forced  myself  to  eat  a  little,  knowing  that  a  few 
minutes  later  I  would  have  to  part  with  it. 

Only  those  who  have  experienced  similar  suf 
ferings,  can  fully  appreciate  my  joy  and  delight 

TRAVEL   2 


18  TEA  V EL,    ETC. 

when  the  sensation  at  last  left  me.  Everything 
appeared  to  me  in  the  rosiest  colors,  and  this  beauti 
ful  world  of  ours  more  charming  and  alluring  than 
ever. 

Neither  Dona  Anselma,  her  little  boy,  nor  Don 
Vicente  were  troubled  with  sea-sickness.  The 
former,  whose  father  was  a  sea- faring  man,  had 
spent  a  great  deal  of  her  childhood  at  sea,  and  the 
latter,  a  sea  captain  himself,  was  on  his  way  to  the 
Philippines  to  take  command  of  a  vessel  belonging 
to  the  owners  of  the  Bella  Gallega.  Children  are 
seldom  affected  with  sea-sickness,  and  never  as  se 
verely  as  jsdul  s. 

After  leaving  the  Channel  behind,  the  fleet  of 
vessels  which  hitherto  surrounded  us,  dispersed  in 
all  directions,  and  we  perceived  only  occasionally  a 
sail  far  down  on  the  horizon.  We  crossed  the  Gulf 
of  Biscay,  steered  along  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese 
coasts,  and  sighted  at  some  distance,  Madeira,  the 
Canarios  and  the  Cape  Verde  Islands. 

The  weather  at  this  time  was  perfect,  but  the 
glare  of  the  sun  increased  every  day  until  the  heat 
became  so  great  that  exertion  of  any  kind  seemed 
a  burden,  and  we  were  glad  to  lie  in  the  shadow  of 
the  awnings,  too  exhausted  even  for  conversation. 
A  light,  but  steady  breeze  hardly  gave  us  way  and 
eventually  carried  us  down  to  the  equator  at  an 
average  rate  of  from  four  to  five  miles  per  hour. 

In  this  region,  I,  for  the  first  time,  saw  a  shark. 
I  remember  still  the  very  first  one  we  caught.  The 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  19 

great  brute,  over  twelve  feet  long,  was  of  such  a 
tremendous  weight  that  it  took  the  united  strength 
of  our  sailors  to  heave  him  on  board.  As  usual, 
those  that  were  caught  were  butchered,  cut  to 
pieces  and  no  mercy  whatever  shown  to  them.  A 
portion  of  the  meat,  especially  that  of  the  yourlg 
sharks,  was  cooked  and  eaten  by  our  sailors,  seem 
ingly  with  much  relish. 

A  long  voyage  aboard  a  sailing  vessel  offers  as 
every  one  knows,  a  very  limited  variety  of  distrac 
tions,  and  appears  to  most  people,  obliged  to  travel 
in  this  way,  a  tedious  and  uninteresting  undertak 
ing.  Having  merely  the  place  of  destination  in 
view  they  care  but  to  get  there,  and  make  no  effort 
to  contribute  to  the  amusement  or  comfort  on  board, 
nor  even  take  advantage  of  the  opportunity  offered 
to  increase  their  knowledge  by  study  and  observa 
tion.  Many  of  them,  disappointed  at  the  unavoid 
ably  lengthened  voyage,  and  irritated  by  the  slow 
progress,  so  often  made  in  the  face  of  adverse  winds 
and  currents,  become  actively  ill-tempered,  and 
make  the  lives  of  the  other  passengers  and  the 
officers  of  the  ship  miserable  by  continual  bicker 
ings  and  quarreling. 

In  those  days  when  steamer  connections  were 
scarce,  traveling  by  sailing  vessel  was  quite  com 
mon.  A  journey,  in  the  early  sixties,  by  the  steam 
ers  of  the  Peninsular  and  Oriental  Mail  Steamship 
Company  from  London  to  Hongkong,  by  way  of 
Alexandria,  Cairo,  and  Suez — a  distance  of  about 


20  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

ten  thousand  miles — took  from  forty  to  fifty  days, 
and  cost  from  six  to  eight  hundred  dollars. 

Taking  into  consideration  the  fact  that  now-a- 
days,  in  consequence  of  competition,  one  can  make 
the  journey  from  China  to  Europe,  or  vice-versa,  at  a 
cost  of  less  than  three  hundred  and  fifty  Mexican 
dollars,  and  in  about  thirty  days,  the  fare  of  three 
hundred  and  twenty-five  Spanish  dollars,  which  I 
paid  for  my  passage  from  Hamburg  to  Manila  seems 
excessive. 

In  spite  of  being  the  only  German  among  so 
many  Spaniards,  Mestizos  and  Indies,  whose  lan 
guage  at  first  I  was  perfectly  ignorant  of,  I  had  but 
little  opportunity  to  feel  bored  and  lonely.  My 
time  was  fully  occupied,  and  the  longer  the  voyage 
lasted  the  more  at  home  I  felt  on  shipboard,  and 
actually  became  so  contented  that  I  often  regretted 
that  the  voyage  was  not  to  be  a  longer  one.  Much 
of  this  contentment  should  be  attributed  to  the 
good  nature  of  our  officers  and  my  traveling  com 
panions,  who  assisted  me  in  every  way  to  familiarize 
myself  with  their  language  and  the  habits  and 
customs  of  their  people. 

After  my  sea-sickness  had  passed  away  and  I 
became  accustomed  to  the  movement  of  the  vessel, 
I  decided  to  systematize  my  day's  work  into  a  reg 
ular  order.  I  had  brought  a  lark  and  canary  with 
me  from  Hamburg.  Their  cages  hung  from  the 
ceiling  of  my  cabin,  and  they  awakened  me  at  sun 
rise  every  morning  with  their  exquisite  notes. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  21 

Sometimes  I  arose  even  before  dawn,  dressed, 
drank  a  cup  of  chocolate,  lighted  my  pipe  and 
walked  the  deck  with  the  officer  of  the  watch  an 
hour  or  so. 

Later  I  took  my  salt-water  bath,  attended  to  my 
birds,  and  otherwise  occupied  myself  until  half-past 
nine,  when  breakfast  was  served.  The  captain,  who 
sat  at  the  head  of  the  table, had  at  his  right  Dona 
Anselma,  her  little  boy,  and  Don  Vicente,  and  to  his 
left  the  mates  and  myself. 

The  breakfast  consisted  of  soup,  besides  four  or 
five  other  courses,  dessert,  two  kinds  of  Spanish 
wine,  coffee  and  fresh  rolls,  which  our  cook  was 
obliged  to  bake  every  day  during  the  voyage.  The 
food  was  invariably  well  cooked  and  served,  and  of 
unexceptional  quality.  We  were  usually  at  table  an 
hour  or  more,  and  while  drinking,  eating  and  con 
versing,  enjoyed  ourselves  during  that  time  in  a 
manner  only  understood  by  people  of  Southern 
descent. 

From  the  very  first  I  took  a  great  liking  to  the 
Spanish  manner  of  cooking  and  must  say  that  even 
now  I  prefer  it  to  any  others.  Such  dishes  as  Paella 
a  la  Valenziana,  Menudo^  la  Andaluza,Bacalao  a  la 
Bizcaina  and  many  others  I  could  mention,  if  prop 
erly  cooked  and  served  would  tickle  the  palate  of 
even  a  Parisian  epicure. 

The  siesta,  or  noon  rest,  so  necessary  to  people 
accustomed  to  life  in  tropical  countries,  was  never 
omitted  on  board  our  vessel.  During  rainy  and 


22  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

stormy  weather  every  one  sought  shelter  below,  but 
in  fine  weather  the  whole  ship's  company,  save  the 
officer  on  watch,  found  rest  and  comfort,  under  the 
awnings  on  deck,  passing  the  time  in  general  con 
versation  until  at  length  the  gentle  rise  and  fall  of 
the  ship  on  the  swell  lulled  us  to  sleep. 

Dinner  was  served  at  four  thirty,  and  con 
sisted  of  about  the  same  number  of  dishes  as  the 
morning  meal.  Between  the  courses,  according  to 
Spanish  custom,  every  one  who  wished  to,  smoked  a 
cigarette.  Dinner  finished,  we  returned  to  the  deck 
where  for  hours  we  passed  the  time  in  talking, 
smoking,  promenading,  and  admiring  those  mar 
velous  tropical  sunsets  with  all  their  wealth  of  color. 

At  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening  coffee,  tea  and 
chocolate  were  served,  either  on  deck  or  in  the 
cabin. 

In  common  with  most  persons  of  Southern 
blood,  the  Spaniards  on  board  were  very  musical. 
After  the  coffee,  etc.,  had  been  removed,  the  guitars 
and  mandolins  were  brought  out,  and  the  evening 
made  musical  by  the  notes  of  the  exquisitely  sad 
and  beautiful  melodies  of  their  native  land — the 
music  of  the  instruments  being  accompanied  by 
singing  and  clapping  of  hands.  Sometimes,  when 
in  the  humor,  we  danced  to  the  measure  of  a  Bolero 
or  Jota  Aragonez  just  as  lively  as  to  the  steps  of  a 
waltz  or  polka,  and  on  such  occasions  the  gentle 
men  of  our  party  regretted  that  Dona  Anselma 
could  not  multiply  herself  into  partners  for  all. 


TRAVEL,   ETC.  23 

As  long  as  we  navigated  in  the  tropics,  the 
evenings  were  spent  mostly  on  deck,  where  we 
remained  up  to  midnight  or  even  later  ;  the  exqui 
site  soft  balminess  of  the  air  inviting  us  to  stay 
there  rather  than  in  a  close  cabin. 

The  captain  told  me  several  times  that  off  the 
African  coast  it  was  not  advisable  to  sleep  on  the 
deck,  as  the  winds  from  the  land  were  laden  with 
desert  sand,  which  affected  the  eyes,  and  had  proved 
fatal  on  many  occasions  to  travelers,  as  well  as 
sailors.  I  thanked  him  for  his  kind  advice,  but 
most  always  ignored  it.  The  charm  of  a  tropical 
night,  illuminated  by  the  myriads  of  brilliant  stars, 
was  so  alluring  that  I  usually  slept  on  deck  until 
the  chill  morning  air  drove  me  below  to  my  cabin. 

The  foolish  and  obsolete  custom  of  baptizing 
and  ducking  passengers,  when  crossing  the  equator 
for  the  first  time,  was  not  countenanced  on  board 
the  Bella  Gallega.  When  we  crossed  the  line  we 
were  at  dinner,  and  our  captain  celebrated  the 
occasion  in  champagne,  remarking  that  so  impor 
tant  an  occurrence  in  our  lives  should  be  duly 
signalized  in  some  manner.  We  drank  to  the 
health  of  one  another,  and  the  sparkling  wine  had 
a  very  happy  effect  upon  our  little  company's  spir 
its  during  the  evening. 

As  soon  as  we  had  left  the  Elbe,  the  mates 
and  boatswain  at  once  began  to  treat  the  men 
in  such  a  brutally,  cruel  fashion  that  my  man 
hood  revolted  at  it.  I  knew  that  according  to 


24  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

the  maritime  laws  of  civilized  countries,  neither 
captain  nor  mates  were  allowed  to  chastise  their 
men.  I  knew,  too,  that  officers  of  vessels  are  not 
always  guided  by  the  strict  letter  of  the  law,  but  I 
did  not  know  that  in  other  parts  of  the  world  were 
men  whom  it  was  impossible  to  control  by  kind 
ness,  but  only  by  fear  of  corporal  punishment. 

Our  sailors  were  the  representatives  of  such 
species.  They  belonged  to  the  Malay  race,  and 
were  an  ugly,  dirty  and  very  lazy  lot  of  little  fel 
lows.  Owing  to  their  little  physical  strength  we 
carried  thirty  men  before  the  mast,  but  they  could 
with  the  greatest  difficulty  accomplish  what  fifteen 
white  sailors  would  have  done  with  ease.  However, 
they  were  supple,  quick  and  hardy,  and  could  have 
accomplished  their  work  easily  enough  had  it  not 
been  for  their  incorrigible  laziness. 

In  the  simplest,  lightest  duties  they  were  called 
upon  to  perform,  they  all  shirked  the  work  as  much 
as  possible,  each  one  of  them  trusting  some  one 
else  would  do  his  share,  and  their's,  too.  The 
boatswain,  understanding  this  peculiarity,  drew  out 
his  knout,  which,  as  his  badge  of  office,  he  always 
carried  in  his  sash,  and  gave  a  good  lashing  to 
every  one  of  them.  He  was  a  horrid-looking  fel 
low,  his  face  deeply  scarred  by  smallpox,  and 
seemed  to  be  well  fitted  for  the  post  of  tormentor  of 
our  sailors. 

At  the  beginning,  such  a  system  of  punish 
ment  appeared  to  me  hard,  cruel  and  most  inhu- 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  25 

man,  but,  as  I  came  to  know  the  disposition  of 
the  Indians  better,  I  found  out  that  at  times  it 
was  absolutely  necessary,  and  that  without  it  our 
vessel  might  never  have  reached  the  port  of  des 
tination. 

If  white  sailors  had  been  treated  in  the  same 
manner,  they  certainly  would  have  killed  and 
thrown  overboard  every  officer,  from  captain  to 
boatswain.  But  our  Indians  were  of  a  different 
temperament ;  after  a  good,  sound  thrashing  they 
always  appeared  quicker,  and  more  obedient  and 
satisfied  than  ever,  and  it  almost  seemed  as  if  our 
men  missed  something  necessary  to  their  well- 
being  when  for  twenty-four  hours,  perhaps,  the 
usual  punishment  had  been  omitted. 

That  our  officers  should  become  angry,  when, 
especially  in  bad  weather,  their  orders  were  not 
promptly  executed,  was  to  be  expected  ;  but  that 
the  boatswain  should  fall  upon  his  countrymen  at 
scarcely  a  sign  from  his  superior,  I  never  could 
understand. 

As  petty  officer,  our  boatswain's  position  would 
not  have  protected  him  from  corporal  punishment. 
He  was  treated  and  addressed  in  the  same  manner 
as  all  the  rest  of  the  Indians — with  tu,  or  in  the 
second  person  —  and  received,  though  not  so 
frequently,  always  a  sl;ght  castigation.  On  these 
occasions  he  was  lashed  across  a  cannon,  and  the 
first  sailor  at  hand  had  to  administer  the  punish 
ment  with  a  rope's  end,  consisting  as  to  the  will  of 


26  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

the  captain,  of  a  certain  number  of  lashes.  The 
spite  and  hatred  which  all  our  sailors  had  for  the 
boatswain  were  surety  enough  that  the  lashes, 
counted  one  by  one  as  they  were  laid  on,  did  not 
fall  any  too  softly  upon  the  wretched  creature's 
bare  back. 

With  the  exception  of  our  carpenter  none  of 
the  crew  escaped  those  paternal  corrections,  sailors 
and  cabin  boys,  boatswain  and  cooks,  all  had  their 
turn  sooner  or  later. 

Our  cook,  by  name  Perico,  was,  without  doubt, 
one  of  the  dirtiest  and  laziest  fellows  ever  born, 
and  his  assistant,  on  a  smaller  scale,  his  exact 
counterpart.  Both  had  the  true  criminal  face 
and  head,  and  were  as  dirty  and  repulsive  in  person 
as  the  interior  of  their  kitchen,  where  pots,  skillets 
and  dishes,  even  brushes  and  wearing  apparel,  lay 
heaped  together  in  the  closest  proximity  and  great 
est  possible  disorder. 

Our  Indian  sailors  were  entirely  without  self- 
respect  or  sense  of  moral  responsibility,  and  utterly 
unreliable.  They  had  to  be  watched  like  children, 
and  if  this  supervision  was  relaxed  in  the  slightest 
degree,  then  some  stupid,  inexcusable  blunder  was 
certain  to  be  made. 

Just  before  passing  the  equator  in  the  Atlantic, 
a  case  of  this  kind  happened.  In  fine  weather  the 
carpenter  had  to  stand  watch  during  the  meal 
hours  of  the  officers  and  passengers,  but  on  that 
particular  morning  he  must  have  left  the  upper- 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  27 

deck,  when  the  man  at  the  wheel  at  once  took 
advantage  of  his  absence. 

As  we  sat  at  breakfast  we  suddenly  heard  the 
sails  flapping  and  banging  against  the  masts.  The 
second  mate  hurried  on  deck,  and  found  the  wheel 
man  steering  an  entirely  wrong  course.  He,  of 
course,  was  raging,  and  slapped  his  face,  where 
upon  the  sailor,  drew  his  knife  and  attacked  him. 
The  mate  grasped  a  belaying  pin  and  knocked  him 
down,  but  before  doing  so  received  two  ugly  cuts, 
one  in  his  arm  and  the  other  in  his  neck. 

The  sailor  was  immediately  lashed  to  a  cannon, 
and  after  the  wounds  of  the  mate  had  been  dressed, 
we  returned  to  the  cabin  and  finished  our  inter 
rupted  breakfast. 

Fifty  lashes  with,  a  rope's  end  to  begin  with, 
and  twenty-five  to  be  administered  every  day  for 
the  three  following  days,  was  the  punishment  meted 
out  to  the  man. 

Another  occurrence,  which  might  have  ter 
minated  more  seriously,  happened  in  the  Indian 
Ocean,  when  seven  or  eight  of  the  crew  sneaked 
into  the  hold  and  opened  several  cases  of  gin  and 
brandy.  Later  they  came  up  on  deck  under  the 
influence  of  liquor,  and  began  to  quarrel  and  fight 
among  themselves  with  fists  and  knives.  The  offi 
cers  ordered  them  to  be  quiet,  inquiring  at  the 
same  time  as  to  tlie  cause  of  their  condition.  Instead 
of  answering  they  drew  their  knives  and  attacked 
them,  but,  prepared  for  such  an  assault,  the  officers 


28  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

seized  belaying-pins  and  knocked  several  of  the 
belligerent  drunkards  senseless. 

A  severe  and  merciless  sentence  was  at  once 
passed  upon  the  offenders.  The  ring-leaders  re 
ceived  fifty,  and  the  rest  twenty-five  lashes  apiece 
with  a  rope's  end,  besides,  their  wounds  were 
rubbed  with  salt  and  pepper,  in  order,  as  was  said, 
that  they  might  heal  more  quickly.  With  the 
omission  of  the  rubbing  in  of  the  salt  and  pepper, 
the  punishment  was  repeated  every  day  for  the  fol 
lowing  three  days. 

Dona  Anselma  begged  the  captain  to  moderate 
the  sentence,  but  her  request  was  disregarded.  He 
said  he  was  forced  in  this  case  to  make  an  example 
of  these  men  so  that  such  an  affair  might  never 
occur  again. 

Fighting  with  fists,  and  sometimes  even  with 
knives  was  quite  common  among  the  men,  but  as 
soon  as  it  came  to  the  officers'  knowledge,  the 
fighters  were  seized,  bound  to  a  mast,  and  the  boat 
swain's  knout  called  into  service. 

In  consequence  of  the  unbroken  harmony  that 
continued  during  our  long  voyage,  passengers  and 
officers  became  at  length  such  close  friends  that 
sometimes  we  felt  as  though  we  were  members  of 
one  and  the  same  family.  A  certain  stiffness  and 
restraint,  which  always  prevails  among  newly 
acquainted  people,  was  known  on  board  the  Bella 
Gallega  only  at  the  very  beginning  of  our  voyage. 

Spaniards  are  very  fond  of  personal   comfort, 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  29 

and  are  as  well  very  obliging  to  others,  conse 
quently  every  one  was  at  liberty  to  make  himself  as 
comfortable  as  circumstances  permitted,  without 
discommoding  any  one  else. 

In  the  tropics,  where  especially  on  calm,  sultry 
days,  the  fiery  sun  shone  almost  suffocating  upon 
us,  we  wore  as  little  clothing  as  possible,  only  the 
garments  absolutely  necessary.  A  cap,  shirt  and 
trousers  were,  with  shoes  as  protection  against  the 
hot  deck,  about  all.  Dona  Anselma  usually  appeared 
in  a  roomy,  comfortable  morning  wrapper,  a  pair 
of  light  shoes  on  her  feet,  and  bareheaded,  her  long, 
black  and  silky  hair  hanging  over  her  shoulders, 
while  her  little  boy,  Juanito,  played  about  in  the 
same  costume  that,  according  to  the  statement  of 
eye  witnesses,  Adam  and  Eve  affected  in  Paradise. 

But  our  Indians,  accustomed  all  their  lives  to 
a  hot  and  suffocating  climate,  wore  even  in  the 
tropics  thick  and  heavy  clothing,  and  it  seemed 
their  greatest  delight  to  stretch  themselves  upon 
the  deck  in  the  full  glare  of  the  burning  sun,  and 
lie  there  absolutely  idle.  How  they  stood  that 
intense  heat  as  they  lay  asleep  or  awake  with  no 
coverings  upon  their  heads,  I  could  never  under 
stand. 

Our  sailors,  and  all  other  Indians  included, 
were  a  dirty  lot  of  coffee-colored,  monkey-like  fel 
lows,  and  in  order  to  avoid  any  unpleasantness  it 
was  best  to  leave  them  severely  alone,  and  keep 
a  certain  distance  away  from  them. 


30  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

Washing,  cleaning  or  keeping  themselves  in 
any  sort  of  decent  physical  condition  was  consid 
ered  by  those  half-savages  as  superfluous.  If  they 
had  not  been  drenched  occasionally  by  the  bursting 
of  a  rain-cloud,  or  perhaps,  during  the  morning, 
while  scrubbing  down  the  deck,  they  certainly 
would  never  have  known  what  water  felt  like  on 
the  skin,  for  they  never  voluntarily  applied  it. 

Their  long,  black  and  coarse  hair,  in  which  any 
number  of  multi-legged  inhabitants  could  be  found, 
hung  over  their  dirty,  tar  and  grease  besmeared 
faces,  and  gave  those  ugly  fellows  a  decidedly  wild 
and  savage  expression. 

If  there  was  no  pressing  work  at  hand  every 
one  took  life  easy,  and  none  of  them  had  occasion 
for  complaint  on  the  score  of  overwork,  yet  what 
little  work  was  necessary  was  done  slowly  and 
grudgingly. 

Next  to  passing  their  time  in  absolute  idleness, 
the  sailors*  greatest  enjoyment  seemed  to  be  when 
they  could  stoop  together  like  monkeys,  picking 
vermin  from  each  other's  heads,  and  he  whose  head 
was  undergoing  this  operation  stood,  lay  or  sat  with 
closed  eyes  and  an  expression  of  the  utmost  stupid 
ity  upon  his  face.  The  sight  of  such  an  offensive 
and  loathsome  performance,  so  evidently  enjoyed  by 
both  sexes  of  these  savages  or  semi-savages,  forces 
one  to  the  conclusion  that,  possibly,  the  much  dis 
cussed  theory  of  the  evolution  of  man  from  monkey- 
dom  may  be  the  true  one. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  31 

When  not  sleeping  or  hunting  vermin,  much 
of  their  time  was  passed  in  eating  and  drinking. 
They  had  coffee,  tea  and  biscuits  served  twice 
daily,  in  addition  to  three  square  meals,  con 
sisting  of  rice,  cooked  to  a  stiff,  almost  dry  mass, 
and  numerous  little  dishes  of  pork,  beef,  fish  and 
vegetables.  Aside  from  rice,  which  was  cooked  in 
Asiatic  style,  all  the  other  food  was  served  swim 
ming  in  fat,  with  highly  seasoned  sauces,  and  the 
stench  of  garlic  and  other  strong  seasonings  they 
used,  could  often  be  noticed  to  an  offensive  degree 
in  all  parts  of  the  ship.  When  pots,  kettles  and 
dishes  were  placed  on  deck  the  men  clustered  about 
them,  and  laughed,  chatted  and  ate,  and  seemingly 
enjoyed  themselves  immensely. 

All  over  Asia,  where  rice  is  the  principal  food 
of  the  natives,  soups,  meat,  fish  and  vegetables  are 
considered  more  or  less  as  side  dishes. 

Our  Indians,  having  no  more  sense  of  decency 
in  their  manner  of  feeding  than  in  any  other  mode 
of  life,  used  their  fingers  instead  of  knives  and  forks, 
simply  pressing  the  rice  into  little  balls,  and  laying 
the  backs  of  the  finger  tips  against  their  lower  lips, 
with  their  thumbs  they  shot  the  rice  balls  into  their 
mouths,  with  a  dexterity  truly  marvelous. 

Out  of  the  different  pots,  containing  meat  or 
soup-like  messes,  every  one  ate  and  drank  just  as  he 
pleased,  and  it  almost  seemed  as  though  they  took 
particular  pains  to  slobber  over  the  brims  of  the 
vessels.  Pieces  of  meat  were  seized  with  dirty 


32  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

fingers,  and  after  a  quantity  had  been  torn  or  bitten 
off,  the  remainder  was  thrown  back  into  the  pot. 

But  the  most  disgusting  scenes  were  enacted 
when  flies  and  other  vermin,  which  stuck  to  them  like 
leeches,  had  to  be  quieted  during  their  meals.  In 
such  cases  their  fingers  were  kept  busy  about  in  their 
beads  amongst  the  dirty  hair,  matted  with  grease 
and  cocoanut  oil,  and  then  again,  without  having 
been  wiped,  inside  the  steaming  and  savory  smell 
ing  rice  and  meat  pots. 

When  I  first  watched  them  preparing  to  eat,  I 
thought  that  they  would  at  least  wash  their  fingers 
before  commencing  their  meals,  but  I  was  mistaken. 
The  only  attempt  at  cleanliness  was  to  draw  them 
through  their  dirty  mouths  and  wipe  them  off  on 
their  tarred  and  greasy  trousers.  A  sight  of  this 
kind,  so  repulsive  to  any  one  accustomed  to  cleanly 
habits  of  living,  destroyed  my  appetite  for  the  rest 
of  the  day. 

But  if  the  men  who  lived  in  the  forecastle  ever 
went  so  far  in  their  dirty  practices  as  to  disgust 
even  the  dwellers  in  the  cabin,  then  immediately 
the  orders  came  to  clean  the  whole  lot  thoroughly. 
Under  the  inspection  of  the  carpenter,  all  the 
Indians  had  to  strip,  and  were  compelled  to  wash 
and  scrub  one  another,  and  the  dark  brown,  leather- 
like  skins  were  well  scoured  with  sand  soap  and 
ashes.  After  they  had  had  their  hair  cut,  and  were 
dressed  in  clean  clothing,  they  looked  a  very  differ 
ent  lot  of  men,  indeed,  almost  respectable. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  83 

But  with  a  race  of  men  who  are  happiest  and 
best  contented  when  they  can  live  as  nearly  as  possi 
ble  upon  an  equality  with  hogs,  such  a  cleaning  pro 
cess  has  but  a  slight  effect  and  is  of  short  duration. 

In  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  about  the  tenth  degree 
of  southern  latitude,  we  one  morning  saw  at  the 
verge  of  the  northeastern  horizon  a  steamer  head 
ing  directly  towards  us,  and  our  captain  took  her  at 
once  for  one  of  the  many  British  men-of-war  which 
are  constantly  cruising  along  the  African  coast  in 
an  endeavor  to  suppress  the  slave  trade.  His  sur 
mise  proved  to  be  right.  The  man-of-war  had 
scarcely  neared  us  sufficiently  when  she  signalled 
for  our  name,  what  port  we  had  sailed  from,  where 
we  were  bound  for,  and  numerous  other  questions, 
all  of  which  we  replied  to  after  running  up  our  red 
and  yellow  flag.  But  her  commander,  apparently, 
was  not  satisfied  with  our  answers.  He  ordered  us 
to  lie  to,  at  the  same  time  lowering  a  boat  and  send 
ing  two  officers  aboard  of  us.  They  demanded  to 
be  shown  the  ship's  papers,  after  examining  which 
they  apologized  for  their  unfounded  suspicions  and 
started  to  take  leave  of  us. 

But  the  courteous  Spanish  hospitality  with 
which  our  captain  offered  them  a  glass  of  his  finest 
Taragona  wine  seemed  rather  too  tempting  to  be 
declined,  and,  as  a  little  later,  the  slim  and  graceful 
figure  of  Dona  Anselma  descended  from  the  quarter 
deck  and  offered  the  British  officers  a  hearty  wel 
come  to  Spanish  ground,  every  one  sat  down  in  the 


TRAVEL   3 


34  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

cabin  and  enjoyed  a  glass  of  wine  and  the  flavor  of 
some  good  Manila  cigars.  But  the  Spaniards  did 
not  understand  English  any  better  than  the  British 
officers  understood  Spanish,  and  therefore  I  had  to 
be  interpreter  and  the  deliverer  of  some  polite  and 
tender  compliments  to  our  Dona  Anselma. 

After  we  had  emptied  several  glasses,  toasting 
the  health  of  Dona  Anselma,  and  drinking  to  a  mu 
tual  pleasant  and  prosperous  voyage,  the  British 
officers  left  us.  We  squared  our  yards  again  and 
continued  our  interrupted  voyage,  wishing  each 
other,  after  the  manner  of  sailors,  a  hearty  farewell. 

Down  to  the  thirtieth  degree  south,  the  weather 
remained  warm  and  pleasant,  but  in  that  latitude 
it  began  to  get  cold  and  stormy,  and  the  trade 
winds  ceased  entirely.  We  felt  regret  for  those 
beautiful  days  we  had  hitherto  enjoyed  and  that 
the  rough  and  stormy  winter  of  the  Southern 
hemisphere  was  now  to  take  their  place. 

In  this  cold  and  unpleasant  region  the  feeling 
of  debility  and  exhaustion  began  to  pervade  my 
whole  system.  I  suffered  pain,  especially  in  my 
joints,  and  in  spite  of  my  striving  to  throw  it  off  it 
got  worse,  and  in  the  latitude  of  Capetown  I  broke 
down  completely. 

A  fever,  which  shook  and  undermined  my 
whole  nervous  system,  confined  me  to  my  bed, 
where  for  three  weeks,  raving  in  delirium,  I  suffered 
severely. 

The  gales  and  winter  storms  of  the  Cape  of 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  35 

Good  Hope,  and  the  short,  but  high  and  powerful 
running  seas  with  which  our  vessel  had  to  battle, 
threw  me  about  in  the  most  pitiless  manner,  caus 
ing  me  pain  and  misery  impossible  to  describe. 
Helpless  and  unable  to  move  myself  I  lay  in  my 
berth,  utterly  dependent  upon  the  kindess  of  my 
fellow  passengers  and  the  officers  of  the  ship. 

The  captain  acted  as  medical  adviser.  He  read 
and  studied  his  medical  books,  but  could  not  find 
what  he  wanted.  He  tried  many  of  the  drugs  in 
his  ship's  medicine  chest  on  me,  but  none  of  them 
had  the  slightest  effect,  and  he,  therefore,  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  my  fever  had  to  run  its  course 
before  it  would  pass  away. 

The  kind  care  bestowed  upon  me  by  every  one 
was  extreme  and  self-denying,  and  the  tears  would 
often  rise  to  my  eyes  out  of  pure  gratitude. 

In  consequence  of  the  increasing  bad  weather, 
the  officers  and  even  the  brother  of  the  captain 
were  obliged  to  remain,  at  times,  days  and  nights 
together  on  deck,  and  then  Dona  Anselma  was  kind 
enough  to  share  their  watches  with  me.  She  sat 
day  after  day  at  my  bedside,  encouraging  me  in 
every  way,  and  telling  me  so  many  things  about 
her  beautiful  and  fondly  beloved  Spain. 

As  all  things  mortal  must  end,  so  did  my  sick 
ness.  I  recovered  my  strength  so  rapidly  that  I 
was  soon  able  to  walk  for  a  while  about  the  deck 
during  the  daytime,  with  the  assistance  of  my 
attentive  nurses. 


36  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

During  my  convalescence  a  heavy  gale  sud 
denly  swept  down  upon  us  one  morning,  which, 
increasing  from  hour  to  hour,  soon  developed  into 
a  hurricane.  Our  vessel  rolled,  pitched  and  tossed 
most  terribly,  and  the  seas  broke  with  such  tremen 
dous  force  upon  our  decks  as  to  almost  sink  us — one 
great  sea  hurling  its  awful  weight  against  the  cabin 
door,  smashed  it  in,  and  turned  cabin  and  state 
rooms  into  a  foaming  sheet  of  water.  Then  again 
the  seas  washed  clear  over  our  upper-deck,  destroy 
ing,  in  spite  of  the  screen  of  canvas  and  planks,  the 
skylights,  and  sending  cataracts  of  water  down  into 
the  cabin. 

The  galley  fires  were  swamped,  and  it  was 
impossible  to  cook  anything.  The  officers,  dressed 
in  oilskins,  scarcely  left  the  deck  and  had  no  time 
to  think  of  us.  They  came  below  at  intervals  to 
refresh  themselves  with  a  glass  of  wine  or  spirits, 
endeavoring,  at  the  same  time,  to  cheer  us  up  with 
words  of  hope. 

Under  a  pitch-dark  sky,  from  which  the  rain 
poured  in  sheets,  our  vessel  labored  that  whole  day 
before  the  hurricane,  rising  and  falling  upon  the 
enormous  seas,  roaring  and  foaming  under  her. 

Wl^n  night  came  on,  it  found  our  little  Juan- 
ito  crying  in  his  berth,  with  Dofla  Anselma  and 
myself  sitting  at  one  end  of  the  cabin  table,  braced 
with  one  hand  on  the  table  and  the  other  on  the 
back  of  our  seats,  so  as  to  keep  ourselves  in  place. 
While  Dona  Anselma  wept  and  prayed,  thinking 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  87 

that  at  any  moment  we  might  go  to  the  bottom,  I 
groaned  inwardly,  biting  my  lips  to  suppress  the 
pain  which  the  continuous  jerking  of  the  vessel 
caused  me. 

.The  lamp  over  the  cabin  table  had  been  broken 
in  the  morning,  and  we  had  only  the  dim  gleam  of 
an  old  ship's  lantern  in  place  of  it.  In  such  a 
cheerless  situation  the  minutes  seemed  to  us  like 
hours,  and  we  experienced  all  the  horrors  that 
loneliness,  hunger,  and  the  momentary  expectation 
of  death  has  for  those  in  such  a  position  of  utter 
helplessness. 

We  were  just  upon  the  point  of  retiring  to  our 
staterooms  when  a  tremendous  sea  struck  the 
quarter-deck,  and,  after  smashing  everything  in  its 
way,  poured  with  a  roar  like  thunder  down  upon 
the  cabin  table,  drenching  us  to  the  skin.  Lifting 
me  from  the  seat  I  was  hurled  to  the  floor,  and 
washed  from  side  to  side  until  my  feet  stuck  fast 
under  the  berth  in  a  stateroom,  the  door  of  which 
stood  open.  Pinned  and  jammed  as  I  was,  the 
receding  waters  failed  to  dislodge  me,  and  I  was 
obliged  to  lie  there,  one  moment  picked  up  by  the 
rush  of  the  water  and  half  strangled,  the  next  left 
hanging  by  my  heels,  almost  suspended  in  mid-air. 

Dofia  Anselma,  seeing  me  struggling  in  the 
water,  eind  realizing  the  gravity  of  my  situation  and 
my  inability  to  assist  myself,  with  all  the  nobility  of  a 
true  Spanish  lady  forgot  herself  and  her  own  safety, 
and  made  an  heroic  attempt  to  assist  me  in  one 


88  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

way  or  another.  But  the  movement  of  the  vessel 
and  the  force  of  the  water  were  too  much  for  her  ; 
she  was  flung  to  the  floor  at  once  and  washed  from 
side  to  side  of  the  cabin  several  times  before  she 
could  regain  her  former  seat. 

One  of  the  officers  chancing  to  come  down  just 
then,  rescued  us  from  our  critical  position.  He 
released  my  feet  from  their  very  unpleasant  holding 
place  and  assisted  me  into  my  cabin,  where  I  found 
almost  everything  soaking  wet,  with  water  several 
feet  deep  on  the  floor. 

Doiia  Anselma's  room,  which  was  at  the  stern 
to  one  side  of  the  rudder,  was  in  a  still  worse  condi 
tion  than  mine.  The  seas  had  smashed  windows 
and  shutters,  fairly  flooding  her  stateroom.  Boxes, 
satchels  and  wearing  apparel  were  drifting  about  in 
the  greatest  confusion,  while  her  little  son,  lashed 
securely  in  the  upper  berth,  cried  with  cold,  wet 
and  fright  as  loud  as  he  possibly  could. 

While  trying  to  devise  some  means  whereby  I 
might  best  get  through  the  night  with  at  least  a 
small  degree  of  comfort,  Dona  Anselma,  accom 
panied  by  her  little  boy,  came  timidly  into  my 
cabin.  The  feeling  of  loneliness  and  misery  in 
her  wet  and  gloomy  apartment  had  impelled  her 
to  this  action.  After  arranging  her  son  in  a  com 
paratively  dry  corner  of  my  upper  berth,  cov 
ering  him  as  warmly  as  possible,  she  and  I, 
wrapping  ourselves  in  blankets,  sat  upon  a  trunk, 
our  backs  against  the  partition,  and  with  our  arms 


P&AVEL,   ETC.  §§ 

braced  against  the  upper  berth,  we  strove  to  mini 
mise  the  motion  of  the  vessel.  In  this  uncomfort 
able  position,  unable  to  close  our  eyes  for  a  moment, 
we  spent  the  long;  and  weary  hours  of  that  dreadful 
night. 

When  morning  dawned  we  learned  with  the 
utmost  delight  that  the  worst  of  the  storm  was  over, 
and  when  a  little  late?  the  sun  broke  the  clouds  and 
shone  for  a  moment  in  at  my  cabin  window,  we  felt 
as  though  we  had  been  reprieved  from  a  sentence 
of  death. 

During  the  day,  as  is  usually  the  case  after  a 
severe  storm,  a  calm  set  in,  and  the  vessel  pitched 
and  rolled  most  terribly  in  the  heavy  cross-swell  that 
the  storm  had  left  behind.  Our  vessel  suffered  con 
siderable  damage  during  the  storm;  it  looked  more 
like  a  wreck,  or  a  ship  that  had  been  in  battle,  than 
anything  else. 

To  repair  the  damage  to  the  deck,  masts, 
sails,  yards  and  rigging,  required  an  amount  of 
activity  and  energy  on  board  during  the  following 
week  that  had  been  hitherto  unknown.  Every  one 
was  busy  hammering,  calking,  painting,  tarring, 
sewing,  greasing  or  patching,  and  the  men  seemed 
to  work  more  steadily  and  with  a  better  will  than 
ever  before,  but  it  was,  perhaps,  for  the  sake  of  the 
gin  and  brandy  which  was  very  liberally  supplied 
them. 

The  loss  of  my  canary  bird  was  regretted  by 
every  one  in  the  cabin.  I  found  him  the  morning 


40  TRAVEL,   ETC. 

after  the  storm  in  his  broken  cage,  lying  in  a  corner 
under  my  berth,  dead. 

In  consequence  of  adverse  winds,  coupled  with 
cold  and  stormy  weather,  our  captain  decided  to  go 
no  further  down  than  to  the  forty -fifth  degree  south. 
We,  therefore,  changed  our  course  and  steered  east 
by  north  directly  for  Australia,  but  from  which  a 
waste  of  some  four  thousand  miles  of  water  still 
separated  us. 

While  traversing  the  whole  width  of  the  Indian 
Ocean  we  did  not  see  even  a  sail,  and  literally  noth 
ing  but  sky  and  water.  During  all  this  time  the 
sun  seldom  made  its  appearance;  the  sea  ran  high 
and  the  weather  remained  cold,  rainy  and  unpleasant, 
offering  but  little  encouragement  to  tempt  one  on 
deck.  We  preferred  to  stay  below  in  the  cabin 
where  we  felt  more  at  home,  and  where,  with  closed 
doors  and  windows,  our  stove  gave  out  almost  a 
tropical  heat. 

The  only  amusement  we  found  on  deck  con 
sisted  in  watching  and  feeding  the  different  sea  and 
storm  birds  that  sometimes  flocked  about  the  ship 
in  thousands.  Blue  and  variegated  sea-swallows, 
gray  and  white  feathered  sea-gulls,  darker  gray- 
brown,  dirty  looking  albatrosses,  which  for  voracity 
and  greediness  are  phenomenal,  were  our  only  com 
panions  during  the  long  and  lonely  journey  across 
the  Indian  Ocean. 

At  times,  out  of  mere  dearth  of  something  to  do, 
we  shot  into  these  great  flocks  of  sea-fowl,  and  so 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  41 

utterly  greedy  and  rapacious  are  they  that  when  one 
was  killed  or  wounded  and  fell  to  the  water,  the 
others  swooped  down  upon  him,  and  screaming  and 
fighting  tore  the  still  living  body  to  pieces,  and  in 
a  few  minutes  were  ready  for  more. 

Then  again  we  caught  them  with  hook  and 
line,  baited  with  any  sort  of  food,  and  when  hauled 
upon  deck  their  clumsiness  was  very  amusing.  Ow 
ing  to  their  webbed  feet  they  were  unable  to  steady 
themselves  on  the  wet  slanting  decks,  and  slid  about 
in  the  most  fantastic  fashion,  striking  and  snapping 
at  the  legs  of  every  one  that  came  near  them,  with 
their  bills.  When  we  became  tired  of  this  distrac 
tion  we  threw  them  overboard. 

At  last  the  tedious  journey  across  this  weary 
waste  of  water  was  at  an  end,  and  one  morning,  with 
the  greatest  delight,  when  we  were  about  the  twenty- 
fifth  degree  of  southern  latitude,  we  sighted  at  a 
distance  of  some  thirty  miles  the  coast  of  West 
Australia.  The  unpleasant  experiences  of  the  last 
five  weeks  were  soon  forgotten,  as  with  fair  winds 
and  all  our  canvas  set,  we  again  approached  the 
tropics. 

After  the  cold  and  stormy  weather  we  were  now 
inclined  to  be  more  easily  satisfied,  and  appreciated 
the  mild,  salubrious  climate  far  more  than  ever 
before.  We  longed  only  to  renew  our  long  inter- 
tupted  studies  and  amusements,  and  even  Don 
Vicento,  who  had  a  passionate  fondness  for  the 
noble  and  necessary  trade  of  shoe-making,  again 


42  TRAVEL,   ETC. 

followed  his  hobby.  Smoking  his  cigarillo  he  sat 
all  day  long  in  the  shadow  of  the  awnings,  lashing, 
hammering  and  stitching  shoes  and  slippers  for 
whoever  wished  them. 

The  evenings  and  the  early  mornings,  just 
before  sunset  and  sunrise,  are  so  transcendently 
beautiful  in  this  part  of  the  world,  that  once  seen 
they  can  never  be  forgotten.  Wrapped  in  dreams  I 
sat  for  hours  in  the  tops,  enjoying  the  grandeur  of 
our  enchanting  world. 

Droves  of  dolphin,  numberless  turtle,  strange 
sea  and  land  birds,  bark,  trunks  and  limbs  of  trees, 
sedge,  reeds,  water-lilies  and  water-roses  adrift  about 
us,  indicated  the  proximity  of  land,  when  one  day, 
at  noon,  the  southeast  point  of  the  Island  of  Java 
rose  above  the  horizon.  With  a  stiff  breeze,  and 
steering  an  easterly  course,  we  soon  lost  sight  of  it, 
but  early  the  next  morning  the  Island  of  Bali,  as 
though  produced  by  magic  power,  spread  itself  be 
fore  our  eyes.  We  sailed  close  in  along  the  coast,  and 
upon  reaching  the  east  point  of  the  island  changed 
our  course  and  entered  the  Strait  of  Lombock. 

In  this  narrow  channel  we  tacked  from  one 
side  to  the  other  until  the  current  became  so  strong 
and  the  wind  so  unfavorable  that  our  captain 
thought  best  to  wear  ship  and  try  his  luck  in 
another  passage.  The  current,  which  ran  from 
five  to  six  miles  an  hour,  soon  took  us  out  of  the 
Lombock  Strait  and  brought  us  to  where  we  entered 
a  few  hours  before. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  43 

During  that  night  and  the  following  day  we 
sailed  along  the  south  coast  of  Lombock,  and 
towards  evening  of  the  second  day  reached  the  east 
point  of  it.  As  darkness  would  soon  fall  our  cap 
tain  decided  to  wait  for  daybreak  before  attempting 
the  channel,  and  to  stand  off  and  on  during  the 
night.  It  was  exquisitely  calm  and  charming. 
Myriads  of  stars  shone  out  and  glittered  in  all  their 
tropical  splendor,  and  the  moon  throwing  a  silvery 
veil  of  light  over  all.  The  serenity  of  the  night  was 
hardly  interrupted,  and  then  only  by  the  hollow 
boom  of  the  breaking  surf,  by  the  plashing  of  little 
waves  against  the  sides  of  the  vessel,  and  by  the 
hiss  of  the  sea  in  our  wake  as  it  spread  away  behind 
us  in  long  lines  of  wonderful  phosphorescent  light. 
At  daybreak  we  made  a  northerly  course,  and 
sunrise  found  us  at  the  entrance  of  the  Alias  Strait. 
We  encountered  a  strong  adverse  current,  almost 
sufficient  to  check  our  progress,  in  spite  of  a  fresh 
and  favorable  breeze.  In  this  narrow  and  crooked 
strait,  hemmed  in  by  the  Islands  of  Lombock  and 
Surnbava,  we  drifted  as  though  on  a  lake,  and  the 
views  spread  before  us  were  unspeakably  grand. 

In  the  Afternoon  we  reached  Bali,  a  little  Malay 
village  on  the  Island  of  Sumbava,  and  as  our  cap 
tain  intended  to  replenish  the  water  casks  and  take 
in  some  fresh  provisions,  we  dropped  our  anchor 
just  opposite  the  little  settlement.  Our  sailors  were 
still  busy  furling  the  sails  when  a  little  canoe,  con 
taining  about  half  a  dozen  Malays,  came  alongside. 


44  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

Some  of  them,  with  wooden  swords  slung  around 
their  waists,  climbed  on  deck^with  monkey-like 
agility,  and  presented  us  with  baskets  of  the  choic 
est  tropical  fruits. 

They  were  dressed  lightly,  comfortably  and 
very  airily,  in  almost  the  same  costume  as  when 
they  came  into  the  world.  As  such  a  sight  was  new 
to  some  of  us,  we  felt  rather  uncomfortable  as  we 
beheld  these  little  coffee-colored,  betel-imt-chewing, 
monkeyish  creatures  jumping  and  dancing  about 
the  deck  almost  stark  naked. 

While  the  Malay-speaking  mates  had  to  trans 
late  the  captain's  questions  to  the  natives,  we 
pounced  upon  the  exquisite  looking,  but  still  better 
tasting  fruits,  in  an  endeavor  to  empty  the  baskets 
in  as  short  a  time  as  possible. 

With  the  intention  to  arrange  matters  with  the 
chief  of  this  district  himself,  and  to  examine  the 
spring  from  which  we  were  to  refill  our  water  casks, 
the  first  mate  was  ordered  on  shore.  The  carpen 
ter  and  I  accompanied  him,  and  half  an  hour  later 
I  stood  on  solid  ground  for  the  first  time  in  four 
months.  The  impression  that  it  made  upon  me 
as  I  set  my  foot,  for  the  first  time  in  my  life, 
upon  tropical  soil,  surrounded  by  a  forest  of 
graceful  cocoanut  palms,  will  never  fade  from  my 
memory. 

Guided  by  some  natives,  who  in  turn  were  fol 
lowed  by  a  filthy  crowd  of  nude  and  semi-nude 
friends  and  relatives,  some  of  them  adorned  with 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  45 

rings,  beads,  gay  feathers  and  wooden  weapons,  we 
marched  directly  to  the  residence  of  the  chieftain. 

A  miserable,  half-decayed  bamboo  hut,  resting 
on  piles  about  six  feet  above  the  ground,  was 
pointed  out  to  us  as  the  end  of  our  journey.  We 
climbed  an  old  ladder  that  had  evidently  done  duty 
in  a  hen-coop,  and  found  upon  reaching  the  top  of 
it,  his  Honor,  the  governor  of  this  district,  at  home. 

He  was  a  fat,  clumsy  and  ill-smelling  old  fel 
low,  and  received  us  with  a  savage  gesture  of 
welcome.  After  having  returned  the  salutation  we 
followed  his  example  and  squatted  upon  a  rotten 
old  mat,  smoking,  talking  and  gazing  at  one  another. 

The  mate  had  scarcely  introduced  his  business 
when  some  half  a  dozen  women,  clad  as  lightly  as 
possible,  entered  from  different  apartments,  and, 
taking  little  or  no  notice  of  us,  grouped  themselves 
about  their  lord  and  master.  The  chief,  in  posses 
sion  of  such  a  bevy  of  charmers,  possibly  intended 
to  dazzle  us  with  the  beauties  of  his  harem.  Then, 
instead  of  answering  the  questions  put  to  him  by 
the  mate,  he  reclined  gracefully  upon  the  mat,  with 
his  head  pillowed  in  the  lap  of  one  of  his  dulcineas, 
and  with  closed  eyes  and  an  expression  of  intense 
stupidity  upon  his  face  enjoyed  the  usual  search 
through  his  disgustingly  filthy  head. 

The  mate  had  brought  a  bottle  of  brandy  along 
with  him,  and  when  he  saw  that  this  lord  of  the 
island  preferred  the  rosy  chains  of  love  to  the  baser 
cares  of  business,  he  produced  it,  and  after  we  had 


46  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

sampled  it  presented  the  remainder  to  the  chief. 
The  bribe  was  too  much  for  him.  He  immediately 
arose  from  his  recumbent  position  and  deserted 
Venus  for  Bacchus.  Slinging  an  old  wooden  sword 
around  his  bare  belly  he  descended  the  old  ladder 
like  a  crab,  backward,  and  marching  at  the  head  of 
a  rabble  of  his  people  led  us  through  a  lovely  stretch 
of  country  to  a  spring  most  beautifully  located. 
Before  returning  to  the  beach  we  refreshed  ourselves 
with  great  draughts  of  the  exquisite  liquid  that 
gushed  clear  and  cool  from  a  cleft  rock,  and  in  half 
an  hour's  time  were  aboard  ship  again,  where  we 
found  Dofia  Anselma  all  anxiety  to  hear  our  adven 
tures. 

We  remained  upon  deck  until  a  late  hour  that 
night.  The  sight  of  our  vessel,  as  she  lay  at 
anchor  with  furled  sails,  and  surrounded  by  land, 
was  as  new  and  interesting  to  us  as  the  scene 
ashore,  where  the  natives  danced  and  enjoyed 
themselves  upon  the  beach  by  the  light  of  torches. 

Early  next  morning  the  largest  boat  we  had 
was  manned,  and  with  four  water  casks  in  tow 
went  ashore  for  water.  While  the  men,  commanded 
by  the  carpenter  and  boatswain,  were  filling  the 
casks,  the  second  mate  and  I  made  a  little  tour 
about  the  vicinity  of  the  spring. 

At  noon,  the  casks  being  filled  and  slung  at  the 
side  of  the  boat,  we  left  the  shore  and  steered  for 
the  ship,  but  the  current  was  strong,  and  the  breeze 
which  in  the  meantime  had  sprung  up,  raised  such 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  47 

a  sea  that  it  made  rowing  very  difficult.  We  had 
scarcely  made  half  the  distance  to  the  ship  when, 
owing  to  the  pitching  of  the  boat,  the  water  casks 
began  to  work  loose,  and  while  trying  to  secure 
them  in  place  the  current  whirled  the  boat  about, 
and  carried  it  rapidly  out  of  sight  of  the  ship. 

The  mate,  still  hoping  to  save  at  least  some  of 
the  casks,  ordered  the  men  to  pull  for  the  nearest 
shore,  but  when  we  got  close  in,  a  side  current 
caught  us,  and  swept  us  swiftly  upon  a  reef  that  lay 
just  under  water.  In  a  moment  all  the  casks  had 
broken  away  and  disappeared  from  us  forever.  The 
boat  was  swamped,  and  turned  completely  upon  her 
side,  and  as  but  little  hope  remained  of  saving  her 
from  destruction,  we  had  to  think  about  our  own 
safety.  A  sailor  swam  to  land,  fastened  a  line  to  a 
tree,  and  by  means  of  it  we  reached  the  shore,  soak 
ing  wet,  and  full  of  the  sea  water  we  had  swallowed. 

Bidding  farewell  to  the  wreck  of  our  boat,  we 
started  in  a  northerly  direction  along  the  coast. 
The  experiences  of  the  last  few  hours  kept  us  all 
busy,  each  with  his  own  thoughts,  so  that  at  first 
we  tramped  along  in  perfect  silence.  When  night 
fell,  with  tropical  suddenness,  we  were  forced  to 
camp  where  darkness  found  us.  Parched  with 
thirst,  and  worn  out  by  exertion,  we  lay  ourselves 
upon  the  sand  of  the  beach,  and  within  a  few 
moments  were  dead  to  the  world. 

The  next  morning  I  noticed  that  I  had  suffered 
considerably  from  sunburn,  and  iny  feet,  sore  and 


48  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

blistered,  made  walking  almost  impossible.  My 
canvas  shoes  were  full  of  sand  and  gravel,  and  as  I 
could  walk  with  less  pain  without  than  with  them, 
I  threw  them  aside,  and  hobbled  along  in  bare 
feet. 

At  noon  we  reached  a  pretty  little  grove  of 
trees,  and  decided  to  rest  for  awhile  in  the  shade. 
Some  of  the  sailors,  who  had  gone  in  search  of 
water  and  fruits,  returned  with  pineapples,  chicos, 
mangoes  and  bananas,  bringing  in  their  greasy  old 
caps  the  most  delicious  spring  water.  Although 
the  water  was  ill  smelling  from  its  contact  with 
these  filthy  caps,  I  raised  one  to  my  lips  and  drank, 
and  never  before  have  I  enjoyed  so  delicious  a 
draught.  The  marvelous  beauty  of  the  scenery 
caused  me  to  completely  forget  my  misery.  Exquis 
ite  orchids,  glowing  with  blossoms  of  great  beauty 
and  fragrance  ;  lofty  trees,  festooned  with  parasitic 
vines,  its  rich,  velvet-like  foliage  forming  an  impen 
etrable  screen  from  the  rays  of  the  scorching  sun  ; 
butterflies,  humming-birds,  parrots  and  cockatoos, 
of  the  most  brilliantly  variegated  colors  ;  innumer 
able  monkeys,  leaping,  jumping  and  climbing  in 
the  most  daringly  ludicrous  style  from  tree  to  tree 
interested  me  to  the  exclusion  of  my  own  sorrow. 

Near  evening,  as  we  rounded  a  headland,  we 
came  in  sight  of  our  dear  old  Bella  Gallega.  The 
delight  we  felt  evinced  itself  in  the  speed  with 
which  we  made  our  way  to  the  nearest  point,  where 
the  boat,  which  the  captain  sent  off  as  soon  as  he 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  49 

caught  sight  of  us,  could  land,  and  in  an  hour's 
time  we  were  once  more  on  board. 

The  captain  took  the  whole  affair  very  coolly 
and  seemed  only  too  glad  to  see  us  all  safe  on 
board.  We  had  still  two  boats  and  plenty  of  empty 
water  casks,  so  that  the  loss  was  not  at  all  an 
irreparable  one. 

After  we  had  refreshed  ourselves  with  food  and 
drink,  and  talked  over  our  adventures  for  a  short 
time,  I  wished  the  company  good-night  and 
crawled  into  my  berth.  My  appearance  next  morn 
ing  created  the  greatest  laughter.  The  furnace-like 
heat  of  a  tropical  sun  had  treated  me  rather 
unkindly,  and  my  face,  neck  and  arms  were  red  as 
a  beet. 

A  little  after  daybreak,  the  first  mate,  the 
boatswain  and  a  number  of  sailors  went  ashore,  and 
when  they  returned  with  four  filled  water-casks  we 
were  ready  to  sail  and  had  to  wait  only  for  the 
provisions  ordered. 

A  business-like  activity  prevailed  all  day  long 
on  deck,  with  such  a  noise  and  confusion  as  I  had 
never  seen  nor  heard  before.  The  numerous 
Malays,  both  women  and  men,  who  came  on  board, 
used  the  deck  as  a  salesroom  for  their  different 
kinds  of  merchandise.  They  did  not  care  much  for 
cash,  but  preferred  to  exchange  their  wares  for 
something  that  had  more  value  for  them  than 
money.  Some  traded  beads,  glass  buttons  and 
other  wjrthless  stuff  for  the  prettiest  parrots,  cocka- 

TRAVEL  4 


50  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

toos  and  humming  birds  ;  others,  for  greasy,  worn- 
out  clothing,  gave  the  finest  tropical  fruits,  sugar 
cane  and  jellies ;  while  others  again,  in  exchange 
for  rusty  old  cutlery,  traded  mats,  monkeys  and 
wooden  weapons. 

The  sight  of  such  a  crowd  of  extraordinary 
creatures,  with  their  peculiar  costumes,  or,  rather, 
lack  of  costumes,  their  monkey-like  quickness  of 
movement  and  gesture,  was  at  once  most  interesting 
and  amusing. 

It  was  comical,  indeed,  to  watch  a  dirty  Malay 
strutting  about  the  deck  with  an  assumption  of 
immense  superiority  to  his  fellows,  as  he  proudly 
displayed  a  pair  of  brass  rings  in  his  ears — the  rest 
of  him  almost  as  naked  as  the  moment  he  was  born. 
Or  a  woman,  her  head  decorated  with  upstanding 
feathers,  assuming  the  airs  and  graces  of  a  queen, 
on  account  of  a  filthy  sailor's  waist-coat  that  she 
was  wearing  wrong  side  behind. 

The  impression  made  by  those  Malay  women 
was  not  in  the  least  favorable.  Grace,  beauty  or 
good  manners  are  equally  unknown  among  them. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  the  chief  arrived  on 
board,  accompanied  by  a  lot  of  half-naked  women, 
and  brought  us  chickens,  ducks,  geese,  eggs,  a  calf, 
several  pitchers  of  milk,  spices,  fruits  and  veg 
etables,  for  which  the  captain  paid  him  a  sum 
equal  to  about  twelve  Mexican  dollars.  The  whole 
company  was  thereupon  treated  to  gin  and  biscuits, 
and  a  little  later  ordered  to  leave  the  vessel.  To 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  61 

get  rid  of  the  rubbish  these  people  had  left  behind 
the  whole  deck  was  at  once  scrubbed  down 
thoroughly. 

Next  morning  at  daybreak  we  set  sail  and  left. 
We  passed  the  Pic  of  Sumbava,  caught  a  favorable 
breeze,  and  under  a  full  press  of  canvas  made  good 
progress.  The  Macassar  Strait  is  about  three  hun 
dred  and  fifty  miles  long.  We  navigated  this  sheet 
of  water  with  difficulty,  owing  to  the  stiff  current 
and  the  constant  veering  of  the  wind  ;  sometimes 
our  ship  losing  during  the  night  all  the  headway 
she  had  made  the  previous  day. 

After  we  left  Bali  our  ship  resembled  a  men 
agerie  more  than  anything  else.  Cages,  filled  with 
birds  of  all  kinds  and  plumage,  were  standing  and 
hanging  about  in  every  available  place  ;  chickens, 
ducks  and  geese,  their  wings  clipped  to  prevent 
their  flying  overboard,  were  turned  loose  on  deck, 
where  they  fraternized  with  the  drove  of  swine  we 
carried,  which  also  had  the  liberty  of  the  deck. 
Added  to  all  these  were  the  monkeys,  most  amus 
ing  little  brutes  with  their  queer  antics,  but  so 
obscene  in  act  and  gesture  that  we  were  obliged  to 
banish  them  to  the  society  of  the  men  in  the  fore 
castle.  The  constant  screeching,  chucking,  quack 
ing,  crowing  and  grunting  of  all  this  livestock 
became  almost  unbearable,  and  would  have  driven 
a  nervous  person  mad. 

At  the  further  end  of  the  Macassar  Strait, 
when  crossing  the  Equator  for  the  second  time 


52  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

during  our  voyage,  the  low-hanging,  pitch-black 
clouds  poured  down  rain  in  such  a  tropical  fashion, 
that  we  really  feared  the  weight  of  the  water,  which 
came  cataract-like  upon  us,  would  sink  us  to  the 
bottom  of  that  vast,  lonely  waste  of  ocean.  The 
quantity  of  water  which  fell  upon  our  decks  was  so 
great  that  the  scuppers  could  not  drain  it  off 
quickly  enough,  consequently  we  soon  had  a  con 
siderable  depth  inside  our  bulwarks,  in  which  every 
thing  floatable  in  the  way  of  deck  hamper,  animals 
and  human  beings  were  washed  from  side  to  side 
with  every  roll  of  the  ship. 

At  length  we  left  the  Strait  of  Macassar  behind 
us,  and  with  a  fair  and  fresh  breeze  made  good  time 
across  the  Sea  of  Celebes,  when,  one  morning,  we 
sighted  the  Sulu  or  Jolo  Islands.  Steering  a  north 
westerly  course  we  kept  in  view  of  them,  but  on 
the  evening  of  the  second  day  came  to  anchor 
scarcely  a  mile  off  shore,  owing  to  unfavorable 
winds  and  a  strong  current  setting  in  to  the  land. 

The  Islands  of  Jolo,  which,  even  at  that  time, 
had  cost  the  Spanish  government  a  great  many 
lives  as  well  as  much  treasure,  have  during  later 
years  been  brought  more  completely  under  its  rule. 

The  inhabitants  were  Mahometans,  and  had 
the  reputation  of  being  fanatical  haters  of  Chris 
tians,  and  fierce  and  fearless  pirates.  They  selected 
the  Southern  Philippines  as  a  good  field  for  plun 
der,  to  which  they  sallied  forth  in  small,  but  swift 
sailing  boats,  called  vintas.  Under  cover  of  night 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  63 

they  landed  their  crews,  and  attacked  the  unsus 
pecting  settlements,  burning  and  looting  them, 
and  with  plunder  and  prisoners  retreated  to  their 
ships.  If  the  prisoners  had  friends  willing  and 
able  to  ransom  them,  the  Moros  would  give  them 
their  liberty,  but  if  not,  they  were  enslaved  under 
the  most  cruel  task-masters  for  the  balance  of  their 
lives. 

In  later  years  I  became  acquainted  with  several 
Spaniards,  Mestizos  and  Indies  in  the  Southern 
Philippines,  all  of  whom  had  been  captured  in  this 
way  and  carried  off  by  Moros,  but  as  their  ransom 
was  forthcoming  they  were  returned,  after  a  short 
captivity  to  their  homes  and  families — reduced  to 
skeletons  and  covered  with  sores  and  wounds. 
Years  after  this  had  happened  the  remembrance 
alone  terrified  them — so  horrible  an  experience  had 
it  been. 

Seafaring  men,  who,  in  the  sixties  or  earlier, 
sailed  these  seas  in  which  the  Jolo  Islands  are 
situated,  could  tell  many  tales  of  attack  and  fierce 
battles  they  had  gone  through  at  the  hands  of  the 
savage  inhabitants. 

During  the  time  we  were  at  anchor  the  Moros 
did  not  molest  us  at  all.  We,  of  course,  took  all 
necessary  precautions,  keeping  our  cannon  arid 
guns  loaded  and  in  readiness  for  anything  that 
might  happen.  But  instead  of  the  expected  pirat 
ical  hordes,  a  swarm  of  troublesome,  blood-thirsty 
insects  were  blown  over  to  us,  and  attacked,  bit  and 


54  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

stung  us  so  unmercifully  that  our  faces  and  hands 
were  swollen  and  disfigured  for  the  next  few  days. 

The  following  morning,  as  a  fresh  land  breeze 
sprung  up,  we  weighed  anchor  and  continued  our 
voyage.  A  few  days  later  we  entered  the  Strait  of 
Basilan,  lying  between  the  Islands  of  Basilan  and 
Mindanao,  the  Spanish  flag  floating  above  the  forti 
fication  walls  of  Zamboanga  as  we  drifted  into 
Philippine  waters — into  the  Sea  of  Jolo. 

The  further  north  we  sailed  the  more  interest 
ing  appeared  the  scenes  about  us,  and  we  could 
notice  from  the  number  of  vessels  afloat  that  we 
were  nearing  the  port  of  destination — the  capital  of 
the  Philippine  Islands.  Besides  Pancos,  Cascos, 
Barangayanes,  Vilos,  Paraos  and  other  small  native 
boats,  rigged  with  bamboo  masts,  and  sails  of  mat 
ting  and  palm  leaves,  we  noticed  many  larger  craft 
of  more  modern  build,  which  traded  between 
Manila  and  the  islands  of  the  Southern  Philippines. 

Our  passage  amid  this  wonderful  little  world 
of  islands  was  really  grand.  Surrounded  so  closely 
by  them  that  sometimes  we  could  see  no  outlet,  it 
seemed  as  though  we  were  gliding  along  on  the 
mirror-like  surface  of  a  beautiful  lake.  No  matter 
in  which  direction  we  turned  our  eyes,  everywhere 
we  saw  the  same  wealth,  the  same  splendor  of  trop 
ical  soil.  The  shore  scenery  reflected  in  the  calm, 
mirror-like  water,  which  in  the  sunlight  appeared  a 
beautiful  light-green  color,  and  so  clear  that  in 
places  we  could  see  and  admire  the  wonders  which 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  65 

grew,  swam,  fought  or  lay  still  at  the  bottom  of  the 
sea.  In  this  delightful  part  of  the  world  I  spent 
hours  upon  hours  in  the  mast-tops  of  our  vessel, 
from  whence  I  could  enjoy  the  enchantment  of 
nature  to  far  better  advantage  than  from  the  deck. 
The  winds  were  usually  very  light,  and  as  the 
current  ran  strong  in  these  narrow  channels,  we 
were  obliged  to  drop  our  anchors  almost  every 
night,  and  sometimes  even  during  the  day. 

That  everything  in  this  world,  even  the  very 
best,  has  its  drawbacks  is  a  truism,  and  we,  among 
the  Philippine  paradise,  had  to  bow,  too,  to  the 
inevitable.  Insects,  which  seemed  to  be  created 
only  for  the  annoyance  of  human  beings,  drifted  on 
board  while  we  lay  at  anchor,  in  swarms  of  thou 
sands,  and  tortured  Dona  Anselma,  her  little  boy 
and  myself  in  such  a  cruel  fashion  that  from  itch 
ing,  pricking  and  buzzing  sensations  we  were  driven 
almost  to  desperation. 

The  rest  of  our  ship's  company,  having  more 
or  less  the  hot  tropical  blood  running  in  their  veins, 
suffered  less,  the  bites  and  stings  causing  scarcely 
any  swelling. 

We  passed  between  the  Islands  of  Luzon  and 
Mindoro,  through  the  Strait  of  Bernardino,  carried 
along  by  a  stiff  breeze  up  the  coast,  and  a  few  hours 
later  reached  the  Island  of  Corrigidor.  We  saluted 
the  Spanish  flag  which  flew  above  the  walls  of  the 
fort,  and  answered  to  the  questions  that  were  sig 
naled  us. 


66  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

The  Island  of  Corrigidor  lies  at  the  entrance 
to  the  spacious  bay  at  Manila,  and  divides  the 
entrance  into  two  almost  equal  parts,  the  northern 
of  which  is  known  as  the  Boca  Grande,  and  the 
southern  as  the  Boca  Chica. 

Our  captain  decided  to  go  through  Boca  Chica, 
but  scarcely  had  we  reached  the  channel  when  we 
collided  with  another  incoming  vessel,  a  three- 
masted  schooner  from  Bremen.  With  the  exception 
of  the  mate  on  watch,  we  were  at  dinner  when  the 
collision  occurred.  We  immediately  hurried  on 
deck,  and  found  to  our  greatest  surprise  the  bow 
sprit  of  the  green  and  black-painted  schooner  fast 
in  our  rigging,  with  the  schooner  herself  close 
alongside  to  starboard.  The  officers  and  crew  of 
the  schooner  shouted  and  cursed  in  Low  German, 
blaming  us  and  threatening  to  hold  us  responsible 
for  everything.  Our  people,  in  Spanish  and  Tagaloc, 
returned  the  compliment,  but  in  more  temperate 
language. 

The  fact  that  neither  party  understood  what 
the  other  said  cut  no  figure  in  this  interchange  of 
compliments — both  parties  were  worked  up  to  such 
a  pitch  of  excitement  that  this  fact  was  overlooked 
completely.  Finally  our  captain  requested  me  to 
act  as  interpreter,  and  the  anger  of  both  sides  hav 
ing  cooled,  they  soon  arrived  at  an  understanding 
and  with  good  will  and  the  united  strength  of  both 
crews  the  men  set  to  work  to  release  the  vessels  and 
repair  damages.  In  a  short  time  the  sailors  had 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  57 

succeeded  in  disengaging  them,  and  when  they 
drifted  apart  we  found  to  our  mutual  satisfac 
tion  that  neither  ship  had  sustained  any  material 
damage. 

It  was  difficult  to  decide  whether  the  Spanish 
or  the  German  vessel  was  to  blame  for  this  accident, 
as  it  occurred  in  such  a  narrow  channel,  where  cur 
rents,  changeable  winds,  and  other  obstacles  have 
to  be  taken  into  consideration.  In  such  cases, 
usually,  both  parties  are  equally  to  blame,  although 
each  plays  the  innocent  and  tries  to  throw  the 
responsibility  upon  the  other. 

In  the  beautiful  bay  of  Manila,  surrounded  on 
all  sides  by  lofty,  imposing  ranges  of  mountains, 
we  drifted  in  a  continuous  calm  fully  twenty-four 
hours  before  we  could  reach  the  anchor  ground. 
Any  number  of  vesssels,  from  the  stately  frigate  to 
the  smallest  pontin,  shared  the  same  fate  with  us, 
and  we  all  seemed  to  be  glued  to  the  oily,  mirror- 
like  surface  of  the  water. 

As  we  approached  our  destination — Manila — 
the  more  heartfelt  were  my  regrets  that  our  mem 
orable  voyage,  in  which  I  had  spent  so  many  happy 
days  in  company  with  our  amiable  Spanish  friends, 
was  soon  to  end.  I  could  hardly  think  it  possible 
that  this  day  would  be  my  last  on  board  of  our 
good  old  Bella  Gallega,  which  during  a  hundred  and 
ninety  days  had  lodged  me  so  comfortably,  and  car 
ried  me  through  so  many  perils  and  dangers.  It 
was  hard  for  me  to  realize  that  within  a  few  hours 


68  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

we  should  part  company,  perhaps  forever,  and  the 
thought  made  me  feel  so  sad  and  depressed  that 
tears  came  constantly  to  my  eyes. 

The  impressions  a  young  man  receives  during 
his  first  experience  in  the  great  world  are  always 
very  clearly  defined,  and  usually  remain  to  the  very 
hour  of  death  in  his  memory,  whether  they  be  pleas 
ant  or  otherwise. 

The  many  villages  scattered  along  the  shore, 
surrounded  by  trees  and  the  splendor  of  tropical 
vegetation,  afforded  a  most  interesting  view,  and 
panorama-like  moved  slowly  before  our  eyes.  We 
passed  the  war-harbor  Cavite,  once  so  renowned  in 
the  annals  of  Spanish  history,  and  from  its  cleanli 
ness  and  charming  situation  called  the  "Cadiz  of 
the  Philippines,"  and  in  the  afternoon  dropped 
anchor  about  two  miles  from  shore,  just  opposite 
Manila. 

According  to  an  old  and  obsolete  custom,  no 
one  is  allowed  to  communicate  with  a  newly-arrived 
vessel  in  Spanish  waters  until  the  harbor,  the 
custom-house  and  the  sanitary  authorities  have  made 
their  official  visits.  It  seemed  that  on  this  particular 
day  the  Spanish  authorities  had  taken  an  unusually 
long  nap,  or,  perhaps,  they  did  not  consider  it  worth 
while  to  row  out  so  far  upon  the  bay  during  the 
afternoon,  for  the  sake  of  an  old  sailing  vessel. 

At  all  events,  the  hours  passed  slowly  by,  one 
after  another,  and  still  the  officials  did  not  make  their 
appearance.  In  the  meantime  half  a  dozen  bancas 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  69 

arrived — little  rowboats,  with  awnings  of  palm- 
leaves,  and  constructed  of  the  trunks  of  trees,  which, 
however,  kept  some  forty  or  fifty  feet  away,  out 
of  respect  for  the  port  regulations.  From  one  of 
these  boats  piped  the  voice  of  Dona  Anselma's  hus 
band  ;  his  happy  face  smiled  over  to  her,  but 
under  the  present  circumstances  he  was  allowed 
only  to  salute  his  pretty  wife  from  a  distance. 

One  could  hardly  blame  him  when  he  became 
wild  at  the  behavior  of  his  countrymen,  and  vented 
his  anger  in  a  variety  of  expressive,  but  not  very 
flattering  remarks.  After  he  had  waited  for  about 
half  an  hour  he  went  on  shore  again,  as  he  said, 
with  the  intention  of  "  making  those  lazy  fellows 
g  et  up,"  and  to  "  remind  them  in  plain  language 
of  their  duty."  We  on  board,  however,  arrived  at 
the  conclusion  that  the  bull-headed  authorities  took 
no  notice  of  his  remonstrances,  as  they  thought  it 
best  to  let  us  lay  where  we  were  until  the  next 
morning. 

As  night  came  on  we  went  below,  and  for  the 
last  time  grouped  ourselves  about  the  cabin  table 
for  dinner.  Our  captain  treated  us  to  champagne, 
and  did  everything  to  make  the  last  hours  on  board 
as  happy  and  comfortable  as  possible. 

The  following  morning  the  so-called  Faluas 
de  la  Capitania  del  Puerto  and  del  Resguardo  de 
la  Bahia  came  alongside  our  vessel.  They  were 
broad,  clumsy  rowboats,  half  roofed  over,  and 
resembled  in  many  ways  the  galleys  of  former  cen- 


60  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

turies.  Several  gentlemen,  some  in  civilian  cos 
tume,  and  others  in  uniform,  crawled  out  from  under 
the  roofs,  and  with  a  certain  Spanish  nonchalance 
at  once  climbed  on  deck.  A  few  moments  later  such 
a  kissing,  embracing  and  handclapping  followed  as 
almost  made  me  weak  and  faint.  Doiia  Anselma  in 
troduced  us  to  her  husband  who  was  a  civil  govern 
ment  official,  and  he  did  the  honors  to  the  rest  of 
the  party.  After  business  matters  had  been  ar 
ranged  we  stepped  into  the  cabin,  where,  over  a 
glass  of  wine  and  fresh  Manila  cigars,  we  soon 
found  ourselves  talking  and  laughing  like  old-time 
friends  and  acquaintances. 

With  the  greatest  politeness  the  Spanish  officers 
placed  their  boats  at  our  disposal,  and  invited  us  to 
go  ashore  with  them.  We  accepted  their  kind  invi 
tation,  and  half  an  hour  later  stood  on  terra  fir  ma. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  minutes  all  our  ba^o-age 

oo    o    / 

which  was  scarcely  opened,  was  passed  through 
the  custom-house,  and  we  were  then  at  liberty  to  go 
where  and  do  whatever  we  pleased.  Whether  such 
a  fair  dispatch  on  the  part  of  the  polite  Spanish 
custom-house  officers  is  in  the  interest  of  the  gov 
ernment  I  do  not  wish  to  discuss.  I  only  know  that 
it  makes  a  better  impression  upon  travelers  than  when 
trunks,  boxes  and  satchels,  even  those  of  ladies, 
are  searched  and  scrutinized  by  clumsy  and  impo 
lite  officials,  as  in  Germany,  for  instance,  where  this 
body  is  composed  mostly  of  retired  military  petty 
officers. 


CHAPTER  II 

During  my  sojourn  on  the  hospitable  shores  of 
that  delightful  Spanish  colony  I  enjoyed  the  pleas 
ures  of  life  to  its  fullest  extent.  I  became  so  en 
amoured  of  that  charming  country,  of  its  good- 
humored  and  good-natured  inhabitants,  and  with 
the  pleasing,  cheerful  ways  of  Philippine  social 
life,  that  I  decided  to  return  within  a  number  of 
years  and  make  it  my  future  home. 

When  not  traveling  in  the  interior  of  Luzon 
or  on  other  islands  in  the  vicinity,  I  usually  spent 
tKe  days  in  or  near  Manila,  where  the  greatest 
variety  of  new,  strange,  and  fascinating  scenes  con 
stantly  passed  before  my  eyes.  To  hear  wonderful 
music,  to  enjoy  the  pleasure  of  dancing,  to  see  the 
extreme  splendor  of  religious  festivals,  it  is  neces 
sary  to  go  to  the  Philippines. 

There  are  but  few  countries  on  our  globe  in 
which  the  habits  and  peculiarities  of  former  centu 
ries  are  so  rigidly  adhered  to,  and  where  the 
admirer  of  nature  finds  such  a  rich,  productive  field 
for  study  as  on  the  Philippines,  which  in  this 
respect  may  be  looked  upon  as  the  Jewel  of  the 
Orient. 

In  later  years  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  become 
more  familiar  with  the  Philippine  Islands  than  per 
haps  falls  to  the  lot  of  many  of  my  fellowmen.  I 
was  employed  there  first  as  a  clerk,  and  later,  in 

(61) 


62  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

Manila,  Calle  Anloague  8,  for  over  twelve  years, 
established  under  the  firm  of  E.  Klopfer  &  Co. 
During  all  this  time  traveling  was  my  greatest 
pleasure,  and  at  every  opportunity  possible  I  took  a 
vacation,  and  left  the  capital,  in  order  to  see  more 
of  that  beautiful  country. 

I  have  traveled  on  horseback  thousands  of 
miles,  crossing  the  different  islands  from  one  side 
to  the  other,  and  never  grew  tired  of  the  constantly 
changing  scenes  and  the  tropical  luxuriance  of  that 
incomparable  archipelago,  which  to  this  very  day  is 
so  little  known  and  appreciated  in  other  parts  of 
the  world. 

When  I  had  been  for  nearly  six  months  on  the 
Philippines  I  was  obliged  to  consider  in  earnest  the 
question  of  my  departure.  It  was  harder  for  me 
than  I  imagined  it  would  be  to  tear  myself  from  a 
country  whose  seductive  influences  had  taken 
such  a  hold  upon  me.  It  was,  however,  a  disa 
greeable  necessity ;  but  he  who  yearns,  as  I  did, 
to  observe  the  marvels  and  beauties  of  this  world 
of  ours  must  not  permit  himself  to  become  en 
amored  of  the  charms  of  women  in  any  particular 
locality. 

I  left  Manila  on  the  American  bark  Early  Bird. 
It  was  evening  when  we  made  our  way  out  of  the 
harbor.  The  vessel  was  in  ballast,  bound  for  Hong 
Kong,  where  she  had  a  better  paying  rice  charter 
from  the  China  Coast.  A  fresh  land  breeze  carried 
us  along  nicely,  and  at  daybreak  the  next  morning 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  63 

we  found  ourselves  outside  of  the  Island  of  Cor- 
rigidor. 

In  a  heavy  sea,  with  unfavorable  winds,  we 
beat  up  the  coast  as  far  as  Cape  Bolinao,  from 
whence  we  steered  a  northwesterly  course  right  into 
the  heart  of  the  China  Sea.  Wrapped  in  a  dream, 
I  stood  to  the  last  moment  on  the  quarter  deck, 
gazing  with  moistened  eyes  at  the  fast  disappearing 
land  which,  during  the  past  few  months,  had 
received  and  entertained  me  so  hospitably.  Now, 
as  I  found  myself  once  more  amid  the  waves  of  the 
heaving,  restless  ocean,  surrounded  by  naught  save 
sky  and  water,  the  recollection  of  those  beautiful 
days  I  had  spent  there  returned  to  my  memory 
stronger  than  ever,  causing  a  feeling  of  depression 
and  melancholy. 

The  further  we  left  the  land  behind  us  the 
more  we  noticed  the  effect  of  the  strong  northeast 
monsoon.  The  mountainous  waves  rolled  their 
foaming  crests  alongside,  and  the  beam  seas,  through 
which  we  ploughed  during  the  whole  voyage,  treated 
our  lightly  ballasted  bark  most  unmercifully.  She 
rolled  and  pitched  in  such  a  dreadful  manner  that 
even  the  best  sailors  aboard  were  seized  with  nausea, 
their  heads  felt  like  bursting,  and  their  stomachs 
rebelled. 

Besides  myself  there  was  another  passenger  on 
board,  a  Mestizo  from  the  interior  of  Luzon.  This 
poor  fellow,  who  had  never  been  at  sea  before, 
became  seasick  before  we  left  Manila.  He  at  once 


64  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

crawled  into  his  berth  and  did  not  make  his  appear 
ance  until  we  had  anchored  in  the  calm  waters  of 
the  harbor  of  Hong  Kong.  He  then  resembled  a 
dried-up  mummy,  with  his  yellow,  death-like  com 
plexion.  He  had  an  Indian  boy  along  with  him  as 
servant,  but  as  he  shared  the  same  fate  of  his  mas 
ter,  the  servant,  too,  had  to  be  looked  after  by  our 
steward.  Securely  lashed  to  their  berths,  both  lay 
in  the  one  stateroom,  where  they  groaned  and  be 
wailed  their  fate  in  a  most  pitiful  and  heartrending 
manner. 

It  took  us  fully  seven  days  to  make  Hong  Kong, 
although  the  distance  is  not  more  than  six  hundred 
and  fifty  miles.  The  weather  was  very  stormy,  the 
dark,  low-hanging  clouds  completely  shut  the  sun 
from  us,  and  the  Early  Bird,  with  reefed  stormsails, 
could  hardly  make  headway  against  the  tremendous 
seas.  Our  experience  of  that  week  aboard  the  bark 
was  a  very  unpleasant  one,  and  the  anxiety  to  reach 
Hong  Kong  was  general  and  mutual.  Without  hold 
ing  on  to  something  one  could  neither  walk  nor 
stand,  and  unless  firmly  packed  into  our  berths 
with  mattresses  and  quilts,  we  would  have  certainly 
been  pitched  out  of  them  during  the  night. 

The  captain,  the  mates  and  myself  were  the 
only  ones  able  to  come  to  table  for  our  meals.  The 
dreadful  movement  of  the  vessel  took  away  all 
appetite  for  food,  and  the  little  one  was  able  to  eat 
was  swallowed  with  the  utmost  aversion  and  diffi 
culty.  With  our  legs  twisted  about  the  legs  of  the 


TRAVEL,    E\TC.  65 

dining  table,  we  sat  there  and  tried  our  best  to 
move  our  bodies  in  unison  with  the  movement  of 
the  vessel,  which  the  foaming  and  roaring  seas 
tossed  about  like  a  nutshell. 

Plates  and  dishes  were  set  inside  the  squares 
of  the  storm-boards,  fastened  at  right  angles  across 
the  dining  table.  The  steward  stood  by  and  did  all 
he  could  to  keep  things  in  place,  but  neither  he  nor 
we  could  prevent  them  from  flying  from  the  table 
to  the  floor,  against  the  walls,  or  into  our  laps,  at 
every  pitch  from  the  bark.  We  balanced  the  plates 
with  our  left  hand  and,  while  watching  a  chance 
when  the  pitching  and  rolling  was  least  severe,  we 
'shoveled  the  contents  into  our  mouths  as  quickly 
as  possible.  In  spite  of  all  the  care  and  watchful 
ness  exercised,  every  now  and  then  some  one  would 
spill  a  cup  of  tea  or  a  plate  of  soup  over  himself  or 
some  one  else,  much  to  their  mutual  disgust. 

In  the  morning  of  the  last  day  of  our  voyage 
we  sighted  the  bare  and  rugged  coast  of  China. 
Wind  and  sea  gradually  subsiding,  we  were  able  to 
carry  on  under  full  sail,  and  threading  our  way 
through  a  fleet  of  thousands  of  Chinese  fishing 
junks,  arrived  a  little  after  sunset  at  our  port  of 
destination.  We  anchored  scarcely  half  a  mile 
from  shore,  in  the  midst  of  hundreds  of  vessels 
flying  the  flags  of  almost  every  nationality  in  the 
world. 

The  bustle  and  business-like  activity  which 
prevailed  in  the  waters  of  the  harbor  were  really 

TRAVEL    5 


66  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

astonishing,  and  as  new  and  interesting  to  me  as 
the  mixed  crowd  of  Chinese,  both  men  and  women, 
who,  with  the  object  of  recommending  themselves 
to  us  in  their  different  lines  of  business,  came  and 
went,  thronging  the  deck  of  our  vessel. 

On  account  of  the  late  hour  of  our  arrival  I 
remained  the  night  on  board,  and  enjoyed  the 
beautiful  sights  which  Hong  Kong  affords  when  seen 
from  the  water  or  opposite  shore,  after  dark.  Next 
morning  I  took  leave  of  the  Early  Bird,  at  whose 
mizzeii  gaff  the  stars  and  stripes,  the  symbol  of 
freedom  and  liberty,  were  flying,  and  went  ashore 
in  a  sampan  with  our  white-bearded  captain. 

I  stepped  into  a  chair  and  ordered  the  coolies 
to  carry  me  up  the  hill  to  the  Hotel  de  1'Europe. 
A  young  Scotchman,  a  junior  partner  in  one  of  the 
largest  English  firms  on  the  China  Coast,  who  had 
read  my  name  in  the  passenger  list,  and  whose 
acquaintance  I  had  made  in  the  Philippines,  came 
a  few  hours  later  to  the  hotel  and  invited  me  to 
make  my  home  with  him.  I  accepted  his  kind 
invitation,  and  lived  with  him  during  my  stay  in 
Hong  Kong. 

During  my  life  on  the  China  Coast  I  traveled 
about  a  good  deal,  and  was  almost  continually 
on  the  road.  From  Canton  to  Peking  I  saw, 
perhaps,  everything  worth  seeing,  trying  at  the 
same  time,  to  familiarize  myself  with  the  customs, 
habits  and  peculiarities  of  these  strange  people. 

China,  in  no  way,  made  a  favorable  impres- 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  67 

sion  upon  me,  not  even  in  later  years,  dur 
ing  which,  at  different  times,  I  have  traveled  in 
this  extraordinary  country.  The  natural  beauties 
of  the  country  are  very  commonplace  when  com 
pared  with  other  lands.  The  cities,  towns  and 
villages  are  all  built  after  the  same  pattern,  resem 
bling  one  another  as  much  as  one  egg  does  the 
rest  of  a  dozen,  and  the  people  always  showing  their 
most  unfavorable  characteristics  to  foreigners. 

With  but  few  exceptions,  I  have  found  every 
where  the  same  viciousness,  the  same  immorality, 
the  same  poverty  and  misery,  the  same  want  of 
sympathy,  the  same  mean,  low  and  cunning  faces, 
and  even  the  same  objectionable  odor.  Ignorance, 
tyranny  and  hatred  of  foreigners  shows  itself  every 
where,  and  makes  a  long  residence  among  these 
people  neither  pleasant  nor  desirable. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  early  sixties,  probably 
in  consequence  of  the  punishment  administered  to 
them  by  the  French  and  English,  the  Chinese 
appeared  to  be  afraid  of  foreigners,  and  showed  a 
wholesome  respect  for  their  arts  of  war.  But  this 
prestige  has  gradually  been  lost  and  since  the  last 
Tong  King  war,  especially  since  the  catastrophe  at 
Langsom,  it  has  almost  ceased  to  exist.  The  Chinese 
are  now  prouder  and  haughtier  than  ever,  and  it 
positively  seems  as  though  they  looked  upon  them 
selves  as  the  future  conquerors  of  the  world. 

No  thoughtful  person  can  deny  that  China  is 
the  nation  of  the  future.  Neither  we  nor  our  chil- 


63  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

dren  will  see  it,  but  the  time  may  come  when  every 
other  country  in  the  world  will  be  forced  to  submit 
to  Chinese  rule.  Such  a  country  as  China,  as  large 
as  Europe,  with  almost  double  the  population  of 
that  whole  continent,  is,  in  spite  of  the  less  war-like 
qualities  of  its  people,  always  a  very  dangerous 
rival,  and  not  to  be  underrated. 

It  is  impossible  for  any  one  to  clearly  under 
stand  the  subtlety  and  intricate  cunning  of  the 
Chinese,  who  has  not  lived  among  and  studied  them 
exclusively  and  without  bias  for  many  years. 
Neither  in  Europe  nor  America,  not  even  in  the 
State  of  California,  which  is  the  American  Eldorado 
of  the  Chinese,  has  any  one,  up  to  the  present  time, 
seemed  to  grasp  the  real  estimate  of  these  siupid- 
looking,  pig-tailed  Asiatics.  Their  sagacity,  their 
ability,  their  tenacity  of  purpose,  and  their  self-con 
fidence  beats  everything,  and  no  other  nation  in  the 
world  can  compete  with  them  in  these  attributes, 
which  go  so  far  towards  success. 

The  poverty  of  their  own  over-crowded  country 
drives  them  abroad,  where,  through  their  ruinous 
competition,  they  have  often  become  a  burden  and 
a  nuisance  in  the  labor  market.  Where  the  Chinese 
have  once  nested  they  never  can  be  driven  out. 
They  increase  almost  as  rapidly  in  numbers  as 
rabbits,  and  in  a  way  which  people  of  other  nation 
alities  do  not  realize.  If  two  hundred  of  them  are 
killed  to-day,  then,  to-morrow,  three  hundred  come 
back  to  replace  them. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  69 

Money  is  the  only  power,  the  only  god  the 
Chinese  know.  For  money  they  do  and  suffer  any 
thing,  even  to  the  selling  of  waves  and  children. 
A  Chinaman  will  "  thank  you  "  if  you  spit  in  his 
face  and  give  him  a  dollar  afterwards,  and  if  you 
pitch  him  out  of  one  door  he  will  surely  sneak  in 
by  another,  if  he  thinks  he  can  make  any  money  by 
it;  or  when  his  cunning  teaches  him  that,  perhaps, 
one  day  he  may  find  a  field  for  his  peculiar  talents. 

There  are  exceptions,  but  they  are  so  very  rare 
that  they  only  prove  the  rule. 

Besides,  the  Chinese  understand  most  thor 
oughly  the  art  of  bribery,  and  realize  fully  the 
power  of  money  to  overcome  obstacles — in  many 
countries  the  very  highest  authorities  have  fallen 
victims  to  their  temptations. 

The  Philippines,  the  Sunda  Islands,  the  Moluc 
cas,  Siam,  Birma,  and  many  other  of  the  Asiatic 
countries  are  to-day,  more  or  less,  under  the  control 
of  the  Chinese,  and  the  greater  proportion  of  their 
commerce  is  controlled  by  them. 

The  peculiar  aptitude  for  mercantile  affairs, 
combined  with  their  industry  and  temperance,  and 
the  aptness  with  which  they  grasp  new  ideas,  can 
not  but  inspire  admiration  from  all  who  even  hate 
these  people. 

The  smartest  Jew  turns  pale  with  envy  at  the 
tricks  of  his  Chinese  competitor.  As  far  as  business 
ability  is  concerned,  the  Chinese  are  as  far  ahead  of 
the  Jews  as  the  Jews  are  ahead  of  the  Christians. 


70  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

Having  seen  everything  of  the  country  that 
the  time  at  my  disposal  would  permit  on  this 
occasion,  my  desire  to  see  America  drove  me  to  the 
New  World.  I  had  decided  to  make  the  necessary 
arrangements  for  a  passage,  when,  one  morning  in 
the  Queen's  Road  in  Hong  Kong,  I  met  a  captain 
of  an  English  sailing  vessel,  whom  I  knew.  He  told 
me  that  he  had  just  closed  a  charter  at  the  office  of 
his  Comprador,  and  that  he  was  to  sail  in  ballast  to 
Saigon,  to  bring  a  cargo  of  rice  from  thence  to 
Hong  Kong. 

He  invited  me  to  join  him  in  his  short  round 
voyage,  and,  as  I  was  not  pressed  for  time,  I 
accepted  his  invitation  with  pleasure.  I  went 
home,  packed  a  few  necessaries  in  a  satchel,  and  an 
hour  later  found  myself  on  board,  ready  for  the 
start. 

Captain  Scott  was  a  jolly  young  Englishman, 
and  owner  as  well  as  skipper  of  his  beautiful  little 
vessel  of  about  450  tons,  which,  in  honor  of  his 
wife,  he  had  named  Mary.  This  lady  accompanied 
us,  with  her  sister,  a  charming  girl  of  nineteen, 
with  rosy  cheeks,  golden  hair,  light  blue  eyes,  and 
the  prettiest  English  expression  of  face. 

The  son  of  wealthy  parents,  he  was  not  depend 
ent  upon  the  profits  of  his  profession.  When  a  good 
charter  was  offered  him,  he  accepted,  and  when  he 
could  not  get  an  advantageous  one,  he  declined, 
awaiting  better  times,  or  he  would  sail  in  ballast  for 
some  other  port.  He  combined  the  pleasant  with 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  71 

the  practical  side  of  a  sailor's  life,  preferring  rather 
to  do  nothing  than  to  go  through  lots  of  work  for  no 
adequate  reward. 

The  distance  from  Hong  Kong  to  Saigon,  the 
capital  of  the  French  possessions  in  Cochin-China, 
is  about  nine  hundred  miles.  We  expected  to  make 
the  run  down  in  from  five  to  six  days,  and  to  be 
back  in  Hong  Kong  within  a  month. 

The  next  morning  we  got  our  anchors  aboard, 
and  with  a  fresh,  favorable  breeze  we  soon  lost 
sight  of  the  romantic  shores  of  the  island  of  Hong 
Kong. 

Life  aboard  the  little  bark  was  very  pleasant,  and 
the  hours  passed  like  a  dream.  The  cabin  and 
staterooms  were  large,  airy  and  richly  furnished, 
and  afforded  all  the  comforts  of  a  parlor  on  land. 

With  the  exception  of  breakfast,  dinner  and  sup 
per  time,  and  the  hours  the  ladies  devoted  to  music, 
vocal  and  instrumental,  we  spent  the  whole  day  in 
the  fresh  air,  under  the  double  awnings  on  our 
quarter  deck.  We  would  sit  or  lie  in  comfortable 
Chinese  rattan  chairs,  employing  our  time  in  read 
ing,  talking,  chess  or  checkers  ;  sometimes  walking 
the  deck  for  hours. 

On  the  morning  of  the  fifth  day  of  our  voyage, 
just  after  we  had  seated  ourselves  at  the  breakfast 
table,  an  event  of  the  most  disastrous  nature  sud 
denly  befell  us.  A  horrible  crash,  that  made  the 
vessel  tremble  in  every  rib  and  joint,  turned  our 
thoughts  and  anticipations  to  terror,  and  flung  us 


72  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

against  the  walls,  against  each  other,  or  to  the  floor 
with  great  force.  Recovering  ourselves,  we  at  once 
rushed  upon  deck,  where  we  found  everything  in 
the  utmost  confusion.  The  weeping  of  the  women 
the  barking,  grunting  and  cackling  of  our  dogs, 
pigs  and  poultry,  the  flapping  of  the  sails  against 
the  masts,  the  shouts,  yells  and  curses  of  the  officers 
and  men,  all  joined  to  the  heavy  breakers  about  us, 
made  confusion  worse  confounded.  The  ship  was  on 
the  rocks,  and  every  sea  lifted  her,  carrying  her 
crashing  and  grinding  further  onto  them. 

A  dense  fog  lay  upon  the  water,  making  our  sit 
uation  seem  even  more  perilous  than  it  was, — so 
thick  and  impenetrable  was  it  that  we  could  scarcely 
see  our  hands  before  our  eyes. 

Some  of  the  officers  went  below  into  the  hold  and 
returned  with  the  ill  news  that  the  sea  was  pouring 
in  and  had  reached  almost  the  level  of  itself.  Our 
only  hope,  therefore,  was  in  our  boats,  to  which  we 
at  once  turned  for  refuge.  The  two  largest  were 
lowered  and  hastily  furnished  with  provisions, 
water,  nautical  instruments,  blankets  and  other 
necessaries.  Dressed  in  oilskins,  and  taking  the 
most  valuable  of  our  possessions  in  little  bundles 
with  us,  we  descended  the  ladder.  We  took  along 
two  dogs  and  a  cat ;  the  other  animals  had  to  be 
left  to  their  fate. 

In  the  boat  which  the  captain  commanded,  were 
his  wife,  his  sister-in-law,  the  second  mate,  six  sail 
ors  and  myself.  The  other  boat,  under  the  com- 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  73 

mand  of  the  first  mate,  contained  the  rest  of  the 
crew,  the  dogs  and  the  cat. 

The  heat  of  the  sun  had  dispersed  the  fog  before 
we  deserted  the  unfortunate  Mary.  To  avoid  dam 
age  from  the  breakers  we  pulled  a  good  distance  to 
sea,  when  we  ceased  rowing,  in  order  to  overlook 
the  locality  which  had  proved  so  fatal  to  us. 

The  vessel  had  fallen  a  victim  to  a  heavy  fog  and 
the  changeable  currents  of  these  seas.  She  had 
been  driven  off  her  course,  and  at  a  speed  of  about 
four  miles  an  hour,  carried  upon  the  reefs  of  the 
eastern  Paracels. 

We  were  fortunate,  after  all,  having  to  thank  the 
weather  at  least  for  our  lives,  for  had  there  been  a 
heavy  wind,  with  a  high  sea  at  the  time  the  bark 
went  on  the  rocks,  our  escape  would  have  been  al 
most  impossible,  and  probably  we  would  have  all 
perished  with  the  vessel. 

The  captain  having  issued  sailing  instructions, 
we  wished  each  other  farewell,  rigged  our  sails  and 
steered  for  the  nearest  coast,  that  of  Anam,  about 
two  hundred  miles  distant. 

For  the  first  two  days  we  had  the  finest  kind  of 
weather,  and  with  the  exception  of  the  scorching 
heat  of  the  sun,  the  effect  of  which  was  increased 
to  still  greater  intensity  by  reflection  from  the 
water,  no  cause  for  complaint.  Propelled  by  our 
oars,  and  aided  by  a  light  breeze,  which  scarcely 
filled  our  little  sail,  we  skimmed  over  the  mirror- 
like  surface  of  the  ocean,  heaving  in  long,  even 


74  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

swells  gently  beneath  us.  Even  the  nights  were 
calm  and  beautiful,  and  we  all  felt  thankful  that  our 
unfortunate  women,  shortly  before  so  happily  situ 
ated,  could  enjoy  a  short  rest,  forgetting  for  a  few 
hours  their  sadly  dangerous  situation  in  blessed 
sleep. 

On  the  morning  of  the  third  day  dark  clouds 
began  to  gather  upon  the  southern  horizon.  They 
gradually  overspread  the  heavens,  and  a  few  hours 
later  a  thunder  storm,  accompanied  by  a  cloudburst 
of  rain,  swept  upon  us.  From  the  moment  this 
storm  overtook  us  our  boat  became  a  small  lake, 
and  we  unfortunates,  drenched  to  our  skin,  had  up 
to  the  hour  of  our  rescue  not  a  dry  stitch  on  our 
bodies. 

The  weather  grew  from  bad  to  worse,  the  for 
mer  mirror-like  surface  of  the  ocean  presenting  in 
a  short  time  a  totally  different  appearance.  The 
foaming  seas,  breaking  with  deafening  roars  about 
us,  rolled  mountains  high  along,  threatening  to 
engulf  our  little  boat  and  suck  it  down  into  the 
depths. 

At  noon  of  that  day  we  made  out,  not  far  from 
us,  a  steamer  bound  south.  Yearning  for  deliver 
ance,  we  used  our  utmost  efforts  to  attract  the 
attention  of  her  people,  but  our  endeavors  were  in 
vain.  Probably  because  of  the  rain,  and  the  thick, 
murky  atmosphere,  they  did  not  notice  our  little 
boat,  as  it  appeared  one  moment  at  the  top  of  an 
immense  sea  to  be  hidden  deep  in  its  trough  the 


TRAVEL,   ETC.  75 

next,  and  without  taking  the  slightest  notice  of  us 
the  steamer  passed  by  on  her  course.  This  disap 
pointment  had  a  crushing  effect  upon  us  all, 
especially  upon  our  two  unfortunate  ladies,  who  fell 
back  on  their  wringing  wet  pillows,  weeping  and 
throwing  themselves  about  in  such  a  manner  that 
even  the  stoutest-hearted  among  us  could  not 
restrain  his  tears. 

But  the  following  night  we  experienced  still 
more  grievous  perils,  and  drained  the  cup  of  mis 
ery  to  its  very  dregs.  The  fury  of  the  gale  increased 
from  hour  to  hour,  and  as  the  night  came  on  it 
reached  such  a  pitch  that  we  lost  all  hope  of  ever 
seeing  the  sun  rise  again.  The  blast  swept  howling 
by  us,  driving  the  spray,  which  stung  the  skin 
like  hailstones,  in  our  faces. 

To  prevent  the  seas  from  carrying  us  overboard 
we  took  refuge  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat.  Shiver 
ing  from  cold  and  exposure,  the  water  almost  up 
to  our  necks,  we  clung  to  the  seats  in  front  of  us. 
Under  the  seat  nearest  the  rudder  sat  the  captain, 
his  wife,  her  sister  and  myself.  We  placed  the  two 
women  between  us,  so  as  to  assist  them  to  the  best 
of  our  ability,  but  it  took  all  our  strength  to  hold 
them  in  position,  and  to  prevent  the  seas  from  car 
rying  them  away  before  our  very  eyes.  In  such  an 
utterly  helpless  condition  we  passed  the  hours  of 
that  long  and  dreadful  night. 

Next  morning  a  sad  loss  was  revealed  to  us 
which  the  darkness  and  turmoil  of  the  night  before 


76  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

had  veiled  from  our  eves.  The  number  of  our 
sailors  had  been  reduced  to  four.  The  two  missing 
men  were  probably  washed  overboard,  not  having 
strength  to  hold  on  to  their  seats.  The  tragic 
fate  of  these  men  made  a  deeply  painful  impres 
sion  upon  us,  particularly  as  we  could  not 
tell  who  might  be  taken  next.  Those  who  were  left 
had  suffered  considerably,  and  we  all  showed  the 
effects  of  last  night's  misery.  The  seas,  while  strik 
ing  us  with  great  force,  had  thumped  our  heads 
against  the  seats  and  sides  of  the  boat,  bruising  our 
faces  and  making  them  sore  and  swollen,  while  our 
dripping  hair,  hanging  over  our  eyes,  gave  us  the 
appearance  of  a  lot  of  savages. 

Rudder  and  sails,  oars,  blankets  and  provisions, 
en  fin,  everything  floatable  had  disappeared,  and  we 
were  left  utterly  at  the  mercy  of  the  waves  and  fate. 

At  noon  the  weather  began  to  mend,  and  the 
blessed  sun  at  times  found  its  way  through  the  dark, 
low-hanging  clouds,  giving  us  new  encouragement. 
We  bailed  the  water  out,  and  with  our  hands  and 
the  seats  of  our  boat  paddled  slowly  along. 

At  sunset  we  sighted  the  smoke,  and  a  little 
later  the  dark  lines,  of  a  north-going  steamer,  which, 
coming  nearer  and  nearer,  kept  at  a  distance  of 
about  four  miles  from  us.  With  the  few  resources 
at  our  disposal  we  did  our  best  to  make  ourselves 
known  to  the  people  on  board,  but  it  seemed  at  first 
that  they  did  not  notice  us.  The  vessel  had  already 
passed  us  a  good  distance  when  suddenly  she  turned 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  77 

and  held  right  for  us.  The  joy  with  which  we  were 
seized  as  the  long-expected  rescue  was  at  hand  is 
hard  to  describe  ;  we  cried,  laughed  and  embraced 
one  another,  and  behaved  like  little  children. 

When  the  steamer  was  close  enough  she  threw 
us  a  line,  and  five  minutes  later  we  found  ourselves 
aboard  the  English  steamer  Siam,  bound  for  Hong 
Kong.  Officers  and  passengers  received  us  with  the 
utmost  kindness.  The  women  showered  kisses  and 
embraces  upon  our  two  distressed  ladies,  who  were 
taken  in  charge  and  provided  with  everything  they 
needed.  With  the  exception  of  the  kissing  and 
embracing,  the  same  kindness  was  bestowed  upon 
the  rest  of  us,  and  every  one  strove  to  comfort  us 
after  our  terrible  experiences. 

Three  days  later  I  again  stepped  ashore  at  Hong 
Kong. 


CHAPTER  III 

In  consequence  of  the  costly  life  on  the  China 
Coast  my  resources  had  become  very  much  reduced, 
and  I  had  not  sufficient  money  to  pay  my  fare  from 
Hong  Kong  to  San  Francisco,  a  distance  of  about  six 
thousand  miles. 

In  those  days  steamer  connection  between 
China  and  California  was  not  established,  and  the 
entire  communication  between  the  two  ports  was 
carried  on  by  means  of  sailing  vessels.  The  fare 
from  port  to  port  was  three  hundred  dollars,  and 
the  average  time  of  a  voyage  about  fifty  days. 

A  young  man  is  often  actuated  by  false  shame, 
and  I  dreaded  that  rny  acquaintances  in  China 
should  know  how  little  money  I  had. 

During  my  residence  on  the  China  Coast  I  asso 
ciated  with  and  had  the  entree  to  the  houses  of  the 
wealthiest  and  most  exclusive  merchants,  and  many 
thought  that  I  controlled  large  if  not  inexhaustible 
resources. 

The  fallacy  common  among  a  certain  class 
of  Europeans,  that  manual  labor  dishonors  a  man, 
and  that  he  who  works  for  an  honest  living 
lowers  and  degrades  himself,  is  shared  not  only  in 
China,  but  in  all  other  Asiatic  countries. 

I  was  young,  strong  and  healthy,  not  afraid  of 
the  hardest  kind  of  work,  and  had  imbibed  the 

(78) 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  79 

idea  that  it  would  reflect  honor  rather  than  dis 
honor  on  the  person  performing  it.  Therefore,  I 
decided  to  ship  as  a  sailor  on  board  of  one  of 
the  vessels  loading  for  San  Francisco.  I  under 
stood  the  English  and  Spanish  words  of  com 
mand,  and  knew  almost  everything  concerning 
the  masts,  sails,  yards  and  rigging  of  a  ship,  and 
besides,  I  had  a  good  deal  of  general  knowledge  per 
taining  to  nautical  affairs. 

When  I  spoke  to  my  young  Scotch  friend  re 
garding  my  plan,  he  laughed  in  my  face  and  asked 
if  I  had  gone  mad.  He  told  me  that,  if  my  situa 
tion  was  as  I  explained  he  would  pay  my  passage, 
advancing  me  a  few  hundred  dollars  besides,  which 
I  could  repay  at  any  time.  But  I  did  not  feel  dis 
posed  to  cumber  myself  with  debts,  preferring  to 
earn  instead  of  to  borrow,  and  thanking  him  for  his 
generous  offer,  I  declined. 

Three  vessels,  an  American,  a  German  and  an 
English,  were  loading  at  Hong  Kong  for  San  Fran 
cisco  at  this  time,  so  I  took  a  sampan,  and  rowing 
about  the  bay  had  a  look  at  them  all,  and  decided  at 
once  in  favor  of  the  American. 

The  graceful,  symmetrical  lines  of  American 
sailing  vessels,  compared  with  the  more  or  less  plump 
though  clumsy  build  of  those  of  other  nationalities, 
made  from  the  very  first  a  most  favorable  im 
pression  upon  me.  In  later  years,  having  had  the 
opportunity  of  seeing  vessels  of  almost  every  country 
of  our  globe,  I  am  still  convinced  that  my  early 


80  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

conclusions  were  correct,  and  in  this  I  am  borne  out 
by  all  of  practical  experience. 

My  last  day  in  Hong  Kong  I  spent  in  purchas 
ing  the  necessaries  for  my  future  profession  and  in 
wandering  about  the  hills,  slopes  and  valleys  of  this 
romantic  little  island.  Viewing  their  charms  and 
beauties,  made  greater  by  the  improvements  under 
way,  I  was  forced  to  admire  the  energy  of  the 
English,  who,  since  the  year  1842,  when  they  took 
possession  of  the  island,  had  made  out  of  a  bare 
rock  a  second  paradise,  for  there  is  nothing  to  com 
pare  with  it  on  the  whole  China  Coast. 

After  my  last  dinner  in  Hong  Kong  I  played  a 
few  games  of  billiards,  packed  my  belongings  into 
a  sampan,  and  toward  midnight  went  aboard  the 
American  ship,  Annie  Clime,  which  on  the  follow 
ing  day  was  to  sail  for  San  Francisco. 

The  difference  between  my  last  meal  ashore 
and  my  first  aboard  was  very  remarkable,  and 
showed  me  for  the  first  time  to  what  strange  and 
different  positions  in  life  a  person  can  shift  with 
in  a  few  hours.  I  had  to  laugh  to  myself  as  during 
the  following  morning  I  ate  my  frugal  breakfast 
from  tin  plates  and  tin  dishes,  and  in  company  with 
a  crowd  of  more  or  less  rough-spoken  fellows. 

In  the  house  of  my  late  host  in  Hong  Kong  the 
stiff,  old-time  English  custom  prevailed,  to  which, 
especially  at  dinner,  every  one  was  expected  to  con 
form  strictly.  The  dinner  party  appeared  in  full 
evening  dress,  and  consisted  of  the  two  partners, 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  81 

two  or  three  guests,  and  about  a  dozen  clerks  of  the 
firm. 

Sherry  and  bitters,  to  give  zest  to  the  appetite, 
were  served  before  dinner,  whereupon  each  one  took 
the  seat  assigned  to  him.  Behind  each  chair  stood  a 
Chinese  boy,  whose  sole  duty  it  was  to  attend  to  the 
wants  of  the  guest.  They  were  dressed  in  blouses 
and  trousers  of  the  same  shade  of  silk,  and  moved 
in  their  thick-soled  felt  shoes  noiselessly  to  and  fro. 

Upon  the  dining  table,  decorated  with  fragrant 
flowers  and  illuminated  with  candles  in  richly  or 
namented  candlesticks,  stood,  under  white  metal 
covers,  the  greatest  variety  of  toothsome  viands. 
Plates  and  dishes  had  double  bottoms,  between  which, 
to  keep  the  contents  warm,  hot  water  was  poured. 
Sherry  was  served  with  soup,  Rhine  wine  with  fish, 
Bordeaux  with  the  other  courses,  champagne  at 
dessert,  cognac  and  liquor  with  coffee.  As  soon  as 
the  dessert  was  placed  upon  the  table,  one  of  the 
partners,  rising  and  wine  glass  in  hand,  said:  "  Gen 
tlemen — sweethearts  and  wives  !"  whereupon  each 
one  emptied  his  glass  of  champagne.  Later,  the 
other  partner  stood  up  and  drank  to  "  Absent 
friends.'' 

After  dinner,  which  always  lasted  about  two 
hours,  every  one  was  at  liberty  to  do  whatever  he 
pleased.  Some  stayed  at  home,  played  billiards, 
chess  or  cards,  and  others  went  wherever  they 
thought  they  could  enjoy  themselves  better.  Poker, 
at  which  large  sums  of  money  were  lost  and  won, 

TRAVEL    6 


82  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

was  always  the  most  popular  game.  Up  to  the 
present  day  no  entertainment  is 'imaginable  on  the 
China  Coast  without  poker,  champagne  and  women. 

The  Annie  Clune,  aboard  which  I  was  to  live 
for  many  weeks  to  come,  was  a  large,  hand 
somely  modeled  American  ship,  of  about  1500 
registered  tons.  Besides  the  captain,  who  carried 
his  wife,  three  children  and  their  governess 
with  him,  we  had  two  mates,  one  boatswain, 
one  carpenter,  one  sail  maker,  one  colored  cook, 
two  stewards  and  twenty  sailors  in  our  ship's 
company,  consisting  of  Americans,  English,  Irish, 
two  Swedes,  one  Norwegian  and  myself. 

The  cargo  of  the  vessel  consisted  of  rice,  sugar, 
and  a  miscellanous  lot  of  Asiatic  products. 

A  proud  and  self-opinionated  English  nobleman, 
who,  as  it  seemed,  intended  to  teach  the  Americans 
some  aristocratic  manners  was,  with  his  English 
servant,  the  only  cabin  passenger  on  board. 

In  the  steerage  we  had  about  800  Chinese,  and 
among  them,  under  the  protection  of  an  old, 
weather-beaten  "aunt,"  some  fifty  red-painted 
Chinese  maidens,  who,  in  one  way  or  another, 
intended  to  make  a  fortune  in  the  Calif ornian 
Eldorado. 

The  Chinese  paid  for  their  passage  twenty-five 
dollars  each,  but  were  obliged  to  board  themselves, 
and  to  cook  their  rice  and  all  the  many  different, 
horrible-smelling  dishes  in  a  kitchen  erected  ex 
pressly  for  them  on  deck. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  83 

On  account  of  the  numerous  pieces  of  baggage, 
the  quantity  of  Chinese  provisions,  and  the  number 
of  passengers  we  had  to  take  on  board,  our  depar 
ture  was  delayed  for  a  few  days.  At  last  everything 
was  ready,  and  to  the  words  and  air  of  the  merry 
sailors'  song  "  I  wish  I  had  a  Yankee  Girl,"  we 
heaved  our  anchors,  made  sail,  and  with  a  fresh 
breeze  were  soon  out  of  sight  of  land. 

During  the  first  part  of  our  voyage  we  had  to 
contend  with  a  good  many  difficulties,  which  pre 
vented  us  from  making  as  fast  time  as  we  expected, 
but  later,  to  the  delight  of  every  one  on  board, 
our  clipper  cut  the  water  like  an  arrow. 

The  sailor  life  aboard  the  Annie  Clune  was, 
under  the  circumstances,  a  very  pleasant  one,  and 
none  but  a  weak  or  lazy  man  could  find  any  cause 
for  complaint.  To  this  very  minute  I  think  with 
pleasure  of  those  days,  and  I  gained  by  experience 
and  observation  a  good  deal  of  knowledge,  which  I 
had  not  even  the  slightest  idea  of  before.  I  used 
about  the  same  language  as  my  companions,  and 
did  my  best  to  live  as  nearly  upon  an  equality  with 
them  as  possible. 

The  crew  was  about  equally  divided  between 
the  watches  of  the  first  and  second  mates.  We  had 
four  hours  on  deck,  and  four  hours  below,  and,  in 
order  to  make  a  change  in  the  rotation  of  the 
watches,  from  four  to  eight  in  the  evening,  two 
watches  of  two  hours  each.  During  the  whole 
voyage,  which  lasted  sixty-two  days,  all  hands  were 


84  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

ordered  on  deck,  on  account  of  bad  weather,  not 
more  than  a  half  a  dozen  times. 

I  was  on  good  terms  with  the  greater  part  of 
the  crew,  and  quarrels  or  violent  disputes  were 
almost  unknown.  I  had  one  enemy  on  board,  how 
ever,  a  sailor  from  Oregon,  with  whom,  from  the 
very  beginning,  I  failed  to  agree.  He  belonged  to 
the  same  watch  as  I,  and  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  I  had  never  provoked  him  in  the  least,  had  a 
feeling  of  hatred  for  me,  which  one  day  resulted  in 
quite  a  lively  fight. 

It  happened  one  morning  when,  from  four  to 
eight,  our  watch  was  on  deck.  We  were  busy 
cleaning  the  deck,  when,  as  usual  every  one  had  to 
stand  at  a  place  assigned  to  him.  Some  of  us 
scrubbed  with  sand  and  pumice  stone,  others  drew 
water  and  poured  it  into  tubs,  from  which  others 
again  carried  it  in  buckets  to  those  who  were  in 
charge  of  the  deck  washing. 

I  was  returning  with  empty  buckets,  as  my  old 
friend,  with  two  full  ones,  ran  against  me.  It 
seemed  that  he  could  restrain  his  grudge  no  longer, 
and  swung,  while  passing  me,  one  of  his  buckets 
with  such  a  force  against  my  shin-bone,  that  I  fell 
in  a  heap  groaning  with  pain.  I  sprang  up  at  once, 
jumped  at  him,  and  threw  him  to  the  deck,  where 
wre  belabored  each  other  with  our  fists  in  a  very 
lively  manner. 

The  vessel,  heeling  over,  rolled  us  into  a  corner, 
where  by  chance  I  came  up  atop  of  him.  I  seized 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  85 

him  by  the  throat,  twisting  my  legs  about  his  body, 
and  thus  had  him  at  my  mercy,  although  he  was 
stronger  than  I.  Our  shipmates,  who  in  the  mean 
time  had  formed  a  circle  around  us,  urged  us  on, 
only  too  anxious  to  see  the  fight  out. 

We  were  both  bleeding  from  mouths  and 
noses  when,  at  last,  we  were  separated,  and  I 
declared  the  better  man.  We  washed  our  faces 
with  salt  water,  and  went,  as  if  nothing  had  hap 
pened,  to  our  work  again.  Almost  every  man 
in  the  crew  was  on  my  side,  and  even  the  mate 
patted  me  on  the  shoulder  and  said  :  "  Good  boy, 
you."  My  opponent  was  certainty  less  satisfied,  he 
felt  sore  over  his  defeat  and  the  congratulations 
showered  upon  me,  and  planned  revenge. 

A  few  minutes  later,  as  we  passed  each  other 
again,  he  suddenly  threw  down  his  buckets,  got  out 
his  knife  and  came  at  me.  But  some  of  the  others 
about  were  quicker  than  he,  and  before  he  could 
use  it  they  jumped  at  him,  knocked  him  down,  and 
gave  him  such  a  fearful  beating  that  he  had  to  be 
carried  to  his  bunk  more  dead  than  alive,  where  he 
lay  for  eight  days  or  so,  scarcely  able  to  move. 

I  felt  pleased  and  highly  gratified  at  the  fair 
dealing  and  honest  feeling  of  my  shipmates,  and 
came  to  the  conclusion,  that  sailors,  in  general,  are 
far  better  fellows  than  the  world  esteems  them.  A 
fray  with  equal  weapons,  man  against  man,  is  up 
held,  while  a  fight  with  unequal  weapons,  or  under 
unfair  conditions,  is  opposed  and  detested  by  them. 


86  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

Our  work  on  board  consisted  chiefly  in  chang 
ing,  fastening  or  loosening  sails,  in  deck  scrubbing, 
washing  and  sweeping,  in  steering  and  pumping. 
Besides,  we  had  to  keep  watch  of  our  Chinese  on 
deck  as  well  as  under  deck,  and  to  look  out  that  they 
didn't  perish  in  their  own  filth,  and  that  the  vermin, 
which  stuck  to  them  like  leeches,  didn't  run  away 
with  our  vessel. 

The  steerage  of  the  Annie  Clune  smelled  and 
looked  exactly  the  same  as  the  interior  of  any  Chi 
nese  town.  Some  of  the  passengers  lay  all  day 
long  in  their  bunks,  which  they  had  decorated  with 
matting,  colored  paper,  gaily-painted  boards  and 
signs,  spending  the  hours  in  gambling,  reading, 
chatting,  sleeping,  smoking  opium,  or  searching  for 
vermin.  Others  walked  up  and  down  in  the  street- 
like  gangways  between  the  bunks,  packed  full 
with  all  sorts  of  dirty,  horrible-smelling  stuff,  while 
the  rest  grouped  together  on  deck,  making  at  times 
such  a  noise  that  we  had  to  drive  them  below. 

With  the  exception  of  one  sailing  vessel,  we 
did  not  see  a  craft  of  any  kind  while  crossing  the 
Pacific;  this  vessel  we  sighted  about  two  thousand 
miles  off  the  American  Coast.  She  signaled  that  in 
consequence  of  bad  weather  she  was  over  three  months 
out,  asking  us  at  the  same  time  if  we  could  spare 
and  send  over  to  her  some  provisions,  as  the  seas 
had  smashed  her  boats.  She  was  the  Prussian 
bark,  Luise.  She  came  from  Macao,  and  had  a  few 
hundred  Chinese  for  San  Francisco  on  board. 


TRAVEL,    E.TC.  87 

In  assent  to  the  wishes  of  the  German  we  at  once 
hove  to,  lowered  a  hoat,  put  some  flour,  salt  meat, 
potatoes,  biscuits  and  other  food  into  it,  and  in 
charge  of  the  second  mate  pulled  over  to  her.  While 
the  stores  were  being  taken  aboard  I  talked  with 
some  of  the  sailors.  The  poor  fellows  looked  piti 
fully,  and  complained  of  the  misery  which  pre 
vailed  on  board  of  their  rotten  old  tub. 

It  seems  incredible  that  owners  should  send 
such  decrepit  old  hulks  to  sea,  which  in  America 
would  not  be  used  for  kindling-wood.  Only  abso 
lute  necessity  can  force  men,  with  perhaps  wives 
and  children  to  support,  to  risk  their  lives  in 
such  a  miserable,  worn-out  craft.  We  pitied  those 
half-starved  fellows  on  board  her,  who,  compared 
with  us,  looked  like  skeletons.  One  word  on  our 
part  would  have  been  sufficient  to  have  induced 
them  to  desert  and  come  over  to  us. 

After  the  seafaring  style  we  wished  each  other  a 
happy  voyage,  squared  our  yards,  and  dropped 
the  Prussian  peat- cutter  soon  out  of  sight. 

One  Sunday  we  crossed  the  one  hundred  and 
eightieth  degree  of  eastern  longitude  and  gained, 
while  going  east,  twenty-four  hours  in  our  time 
table.  The  weather  was  cold  and  unpleasant,  and  as 
on  Sundays  only  necessary  work  is  done,  but  a  few 
men  wejre  required  on  deck,  the  rest  going  to  the 
forecastle,  where  they  spent  the  time  in  recreation. 

Suddenly  we  were  alarmed  by  shouts  and  cries 
on  deck;  at  the  same  time  the  yards  swung  about 


88  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

and  the  sails  flapped  against  the  masts.  We  hastened 
up,  and  found  the  greatest  excitement  prevailing 
among  the  Chinese,  who  in  throngs  came  swarming 
from  the  steerage,  increasing  the  tumult  materially. 
They  had  cut  some  of  the  running  gear,  and 
armed  with  chopping  knives  and  bamboo  poles, 
were  busy  in  doing  some  more  mischief. 

In  a  moment  the  men  had  grasped  the  inten 
tion  of  the  Chinese  ;  they  jumped  for  the  hand 
spikes  and  went  for  them,  striking  them  down  as 
fast  they  could.  The  captain  called  all  hands  aft, 
provided  them  with  rifles  and  swords,  arid  held 
them  ready  for  action. 

The  first  mate,  revolver  in  hand,  went  towards 
the  Chinese,  ordering  them  to  be  quiet  and  to  go 
below  at  once  ;  but  instead  of  obeying  they  flung 
stones  and  knives  at  him.  Seeing  this,  our  captain 
gave  the  word  of  command  •  "Go  ahead,  boys."  We 
then  gave  a  volley  and  charged  the  yelling,  roaring 
crowd  with  bayonets  and  cutlasses.  A  hand-to-hand 
fight  and  terrible  butchery  followed,  out  of  which 
we  emerged  victors.  Every  one  of  them  who 
could  not  escape  in  time  was  cut  down,  or  seized  and 
thrown  over  board. 

During  all  this  time  the  vessel  had  to  be  left  to 
herself  and  to  the  mercy  of  the  waves  ;  she  was 
tossed  about,  and  served,  with  her  loosely-swinging 
yards  and  sails,  as  a  plaything  for  the  foaming 
mountains  of  water  which  came  rolling  alongside, 
The  deck  presented  a  ghastly  sight.  Dead  and 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  89 

wounded  Chinese  lay  strewn  about  in  every  direc 
tion,  and  among  them  some  of  our  unfortunate  com 
rades.  One  sailor's  scull  was  split  open,  and  his 
brains  had  scattered  over  a  dead  Chinaman  who  lay 
underneath  him.  Pools  of  blood  and  the  crimson- 
tinted  water  which  washed  from  one  side  of  the 
deck  to  the  other,  gave  evidence  of  the  severity  of 
the  conflict. 

After  driving  the  remaining  Chinese  below  and 
closing  the  hatches,  we  threw  the  dead  overboard  and 
carried  our  wounded  shipmates  to  the  cabin,  where 
the  best  and  kindest  nursing  awaited  them.  Our 
dead  comrade  was  wrapped  in  the  American  flag, 
lashed  to  a  stone-weighted  board  and  committed  to 
the  sea  while  the  captain  read  a  short  funeral  ser 
vice.  It  was  a  solemn  and  impressive  moment,  the 
memory  of  which  will  never  fade  from  the  mind 
of  those  who  were  present.  Splashed  and  clotted 
with  blood,  bare-headed,  with  tears  in  our  eyes, 
we  stood  there  and  listened  to  the  words  of  our 
commander. 

We  worked  all  night  on  deck,  on  the  yards  and 
in  the  rigging,  and  at  dawn  next  morning  the  greater 
part  of  the  damage  had  been  repaired. 

At  noon  the  next  day  we  opened  the  hatches 
and  allowed  some  of  the  Chinese  to  come  on 
deck.  They  told  us  that  during  the  night  many 
of  their  countrymen  had  died,  and  that  a  consid 
erable  number  of  them  would  probably  share  the 
same  fate. 


90  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

In  order  to  prevent  a  similar  outbreak  in  the 
future,  we,  from  the  day  of  our  trouble,  used  the 
greatest  precautions  towards  our  treacherous  and 
blood-thirsty  passengers.  We  only  allowed  a  small 
number  of  them  at  a  time  on  deck,  and  instantly 
put  a  stop  to  the  continuous  rows  and  quarrels 
among  themselves. 

The  real  cause  of  their  uprising  we  could  never 
ascertain,  in  spite  of  questioning  some  of  the  better 
class  of  Chinese  about  it.  They  remained  mute  and 
would  not  or  could  not  give  us  the  desired  explana 
tion.  These  hardened,  suspicious  and  malicious 
fellows  are  fighting,  slashing  and  tyrannizing  the 
weaker  among  themselves  all  the  time,  but  against 
the  hated  foreigner  they  stand  together  as  one 
man. 

We  thought,  however,  that  their  intention  was 
to  put  us  out  of  the  way,  so  that  they  could  take 
possession  of  the  ship,  cargo  and  everything  else. 
But  such  a  project,  usually,  is  far  easier  planned 
than  carried  out,  and  besides,  our  Chinese  did  not 
take  the  fact  into  consideration  that  in  the 
event  of  success  certain  death  would  have 
awaited  them.  Mutiny  and  bloody  fights  among 
themselves  would  probably  have  taken  place,  and 
being  absolutely  ignorant  of  navigating  or  sailing 
the  vessel,  nothing  in  the  world  could  have  saved 
them  from  becoming  a  prey  to  the  ocean. 

Many  vessels,  loaded  with  coolies,  have  left  the 
China  Coast  and  never  reached  port.  What  became 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  91 

of  them  no  one  knows,  and  no  one  will  ever  know. 
Whether  they  fell  a  victim  to  Chinese  mutiny  or  to 
the  fury  of  wind  and  weather,  the  ocean  alone  can 
tell. 

The  ladies  defended  the  entrance  to  the  cabin 
during  the  fight.  Revolver  in  hand  they  stood 
there,  watching  with  beating  hearts  the  result  of  the 
struggle.  They  were  determined  to  blow  their 
brains  out  in  case  of  our  defeat,  rather  than  sur 
render  to  the  victorious  Chinese. 

During  the  hours  of  danger  and  peril  our  noble 
lord  had  disappeared,  thinking  it  wiser  to  sneak  away 
and  hide  himself  behind  the  door  of  his  stateroom. 
He  reappeared  as  everything  was  over,  and  then 
tried  his  best  to  play  the  bold  and  fearless  nobleman 
again. 

The  fact  that  on  account  of  his  cowardly  conduct 
he  was  looked  upon  with  contempt  by  both  women 
and  men,  did  not  worry  him  at  all.  Ija  his  aristo 
cratic  pride  and  haughtiness  he  felt  himself  above 
such  rebukes,  and  did  not  pay  the  slightest^  atten 
tion  to  what  common  people,  like  ourselves,  said  or 
thought  about  him. 

The  ignorant  stupidity  that  stared  from  the 
eyes  of  this  fellow  led  one  easily  to  infer  that  ex 
cepting  himself,  he  found  everything  else  in  life 
imperfect  and  defective.  Through  his  self-conceit 
he  had  made  himself  from  the  first  most  disagree 
able  to  every  one  in  the  cabin.  To  speak  to  the 
mates,  or  even  the  captain,  he  considered  beneath 


£2  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

his   dignity,  and   only  condescended  to  notice  the 
ladies  at  intervals. 

About  thirty  miles  from  the  coast,  close  to  the 
Farallones  de  los  Frayles,  we  took  a  pilot  aboard, 
and  shortly  after  luncheon  sailed  through  the  beau 
tiful  Golden  Gate,  dropping  anchor  in  the  spacious 
Bay  of  San  Francisco  amid  a  fleet  of  hundreds  of 
vessels. 


CHAPTER   IV 

In  the  meantime,  a  lot  of  rough  and  wild-looking 
fellows  had  boarded  us.  They  di^J  not  take  the 
slightest  notice  of  our  officers,  and  behaved  almost 
as  if  they  were  the  owners  of  our  stately  Annie 
Clune.  They  were  runners  for  sailor  boarding  and 
lodging  houses,  and  did  not  make  a  very  winning  or 
favorable  impression  upon  me.  There  was  the  keen 
est  rivalry  and  competition  between  them  to  induce 
our  men  to  patronize  their  respective  houses. 

A  few  hours  later  we  weighed  anchor  and  brought 
our  vessel  to  Pacific-street  wharf,  when  our  duties  as 
seamen  were  finished,  as  far  as  the  Annie  Clune  was 
concerned.  In  company  with  some  of  my  ship 
mates  I  went  to  one  of  those  sailors'  shanties, 
where,  for  a  few  days,  I  made  myself  as  comfortable 
as  possible. 

The  day  after  reaching  port  we  were  paid  off. 
I  had  'about  seventy  dollars  to  my  credit.  It  was 
the  very  first  money  I  had  ever  earned  in  my  life, 
and  the  feeling  of  having  gained  it  in  an  honest 
way,  and  gathered  experience  as  well,  gave  me  far 
greater  satisfaction  than  the  mere  possession  of  it. 
During  the  first  few  days  in  San  Francisco  I 
spent  the  time  from  morning  to  evening  strolling 
about  the  streets  and  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
city,  and  never  grew  weary  of  the  many  new  and 
interesting  scenes  which  met  my  eyes  at  every  turn. 

(53) 


94  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

In  my  boarding  house,  as  in  all  establishments 
of  like  kind,  a  very  rude  and  noisy  life  prevailed. 
The  one  aim  in  life  of  the  keepers  of  these  places 
is  to  gain  possession  of  the  hard-earned  money  of 
the  newly-landed  sailors,  and  the  attention,  at  first 
showered  on  tne  men,  usually  ceases  when  the  last 
dollar  has  disappeared  from  their  pockets.  When 
there  is  nothing  more  to  get,  nothing  more  to  be 
squeezed  out  of  them,  they  are  either  kicked  into 
the  streets  or  shipped  on  an  outgoing  vessel. 

No  matter  at  what  hour  I  entered  the  bar-room 
of  this  delightful  resort  for  poor  Jack,  I  could 
always  be  sure  of  finding  an  awful  row  going  on, 
and  sometimes  the  scenes  were  very  horrible  ones. 
Sailors  are  proverbially  generous  with  their  hard- 
earned  money,  and  as  long  as  they  have  a  dollar  will 
loaf  about  these  groggeries,  treating  one  another, 
until  the  room  is  filled  with  men  in  all  stages  of 
drunkenness.  Some  of  them  lay  granting  and  snor 
ing  upon  the  benches  and  floors,  while  others  hung 
on  to  the  bar,  pouring  out  libations  to  their  only  God. 

The  sight,  a  very  repulsive  one  to  me,  was  cal 
culated  to  make  an  unfavorable  impression  upon 
any  sober  person.  When  my  shipmates  caught 
sight  of  me  they  pounced  upon  me  with  drunken 
embraces,  insisting  upon  my  drinking  with  them. 
As  a  refusal  to  drink  is  considered  an  insult,  and 
hurts  the  feelings  of  a  good  many  people,  I  most 
generally  accepted  their  invitation  and  returned  it 
by  treating  the  whole  lot  to  drinks  or  cigars. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  95 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  realize  the  quantities 
of  liquor  that  seafaring  men  consume.  My  experi 
ence  in  that  lodging  house  has  convinced  me  that 
such  a  business  leaves  a  tremendous  margin  of 
profit.  Less  fiery  drinks  than  brandy  and  whisky 
were  not  favored,  and  looked  upon  with  contempt. 
Each  drink  cost  one  bit,  or  twelve  and  one-half 
cents.  Two  and  a  half,  five,  ten,  even  twenty-dollar 
gold  pieces  were  thrown  about  as  carelessly  as  if 
they  were  so  many  worthless  copper  coins,  and  in 
the  matter  of  change  and  accounting  neither  party 
was  at  all  particular.  I  had  never  before  seen  such 
a  phase,  and  would  have  thought  it  impossible  that 
people  could  allow  others  to  pluck  and  cheat  them 
in  such  a  barefaced  manner. 

The  business  methods  of  my  boarding  house 
master  did  not  agree  with  my  ideas,  and  I  decided 
to  move  to  a  more  reputable  quarter  of  the  city. 

With  few  exceptions,  sailors  are  the  same  the 
world  over.  They  are  fickle,  credulous,  and  squan 
der  time  and  money  without  thought  of  the  future. 
The  present — never  the  future  holds  any  interest 
for  them,  and  therefore  the  earnings  of  their  dan 
gerous  and  arduous  calling  soon  vanish.  As  long 
as  a  dollar  remains  in  their  pocket  they  feel  uncom 
fortable,  and  continue  their  wild,  dissipated  career 
ashore.  The  last  dollar  gone,  the  charms  of  a  life 
afloat  renew  themselves.  They  ship  again  for 
another  voyage — never  realizing  that  they  are  grow 
ing  older  from  day  to  day,  that  they  remain  always 


96  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

in  the  same  class  of  life,  and  that  at  last,  with 
muscles  and  joints  grown  stiff,  they  are  even  unfit 
for  sailors.  While  sailors  are  young  they  usually 
don't  care  to  increase  their  knowledge  of  navigation 
or  anything  that  would  be  useful  to  them — these 
things  only  strike  them  when  they  are  old,  when  it 
is  too  late  to  recall  the  past. 

On  the  evening  of  my  fourth  day  in  San  Fran 
cisco  I  returned  to  my  boarding  house  as  usual,  ate 
my  supper  and  went  to  bed. 

When  I  awoke  I  found  myself  lying  on  the 
floor,  in  a  strange  place,  scantily  dressed  and  sur 
rounded  by  a  crowd  of  grunting,  groaning  and  curs 
ing  fellows.  I  was  shivering  with  cold,  for  my 
covering  was  but  of  the  lightest.  A  thick  crust  of 
dried  mud  stuck  to  my  limbs,  and  when  I  moved 
the  effort  caused  me  considerable  pain.  My  head, 
heavy  and  dizzy,  was  filled  with  fantastic  ideas  and 
dreams.  I  could  scarcely  gather  my  senses  together, 
and  was  trying  to  account  for  the  situation  I  found 
myself  in,  when  I  fell  asleep  again. 

When  at  length  some  one  awakened  me  it  was 
bright  daylight.  A  policeman  stood  before  me,  and 
ordered  me  to  follow  him.  Puzzled  and  unable  to 
account  to  myself  for  this  situation,  I  rose  from  the 
floor  and  followed  him  into  another  room,  where 
I  was  confronted  with  two  men.  Upon  being  asked 
whether  I  knew  them  or  not,  I  answered  that  one 
was  unknown  to  me,  but  that  the  other  was  the 
master  of  the  sailor  boarding  house  in  which  I  lived. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  97 

After  I  had  answered  several  other  questions,  I 
was  told  that  I  had  heen  picked  up  in  an  uncon 
scious  condition  near  midnight  of  the  previous 
night,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Broadway  wharf.  The 
officer  on  the  beat,  noticing  two  suspicious-looking 
men  carrying  a  heavy  load,  had  ordered  them  to 
halt,  whereupon  the  men  had  thrown  their  burden 
into  the  mud  and  started  on  a  run,  but  were  over 
hauled  and  taken  to  the  nearest  station,  accompa 
nied  by  their  burden,  which  turned  out  to  be  myself. 

As  I  had  explained  everything  satisfactorily, 
they  gave  me  some  clothing  to  cover  my  half-naked 
body,  and,  accompanied  by  a  police  officer,  I 
returned  to  my  boarding  house.  Our  appearance 
created  the  greatest  excitement ;  my  shipmates, 
upon  hearing  what  had  happened,  grew  wildly 
enraged  and  began  to  smash  everything  within 
reach,  and  to  pull  the  old  wooden  shanty  down. 

I  thanked  the  officer  for  his  kind  assistance, 
took  my  few  belongings  and  moved  into  an  uptown 
boarding  house. 

I  had  had  a  very  narrow  escape  from  falling  a 
victim  to  the  rascality  of  my  landlord.  In  those 
days  I  had  heard  but  little  of  the  practice  of  "shang 
haiing,"  and  the  thought  that  I  might  fall  a  victim 
to  such  a  fate  never  entered  my  mind.  In  countries 
where  sailors  can  earn  more  money  by  staying 
ashore  than  by  going  to  sea,  it  is  at  times  difficult 
to  get  the  necessary  number  of  men  to  complete  the 
crews  of  outgoing  vessels. 


98  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

The  masters  of  sailor  boarding  houses  to  whom 
the  officers  of  these  vessels  apply,  are  obliged  to 
find  a  remedy  for  this  scarcity  of  seamen  in  one 
way  or  another.  If  sailors  are  not  obtainable  they 
manage  to  get  hold  of  "  green  hands/'  entice  them 
to  their  dens,  and  after  drugging  or  getting  them 
under  the  influence  of  liquor  they  are  brought 
aboard  a  vessel,  lying  in  the  stream  ready  to  sail. 
The  "  blood-money  "  which  masters  have  to  pay  to 
these  gentlemen  always  amounts  to  one  or  two 
months'  wages  for  every  man  they  put  on  board. 

When  later  these  poor  fellows  come  to  their 
senses  they  find  the  vessel  at  sea,  far  away  from 
port.  It  is  too  late  then  for  remonstrances,  they  are 
of  no  avail  and  only  make  the  situation  worse. 
Under  such  circumstances  nothing  can  be  done  but 
submit  to  the  inevitable. 

Men  of  all  trades,  without  the  slightest  idea  of  a 
seaman's  duties,  have  been  "  shanghaied  "  in  this 
fashion.  Many  a  poor  fellow  has  jumped  overboard 
in  desperation  at  finding  himself  in  such  a  pitiable 
plight,  while  others  take  the  matter  philosophically, 
make  the  best  of  the  situation,  do  their  duty  the  best 
they  know  how,  and  eventually  return  to  the  port  of 
departure  to  succeed  in  meting  out  justice  to  the 
dealers  who  stole  and  sold  them  into  slavery. 

During. the  past  thirty  years  things  may  have 
changed  considerably  for  the  better,  as  far  as  this 
business  is  concerned,  but  from  time  to  time 
"  shanghaiing  "  is  still  going  on. 


CHAPTER  V. 

A  few  days  later  I  read  an  account  of  the  dis 
covery  of  rich  gold  mines  on  the  Leech  River  in 
Vancouver's  Island,  and  at  once  made  up  my  mind 
to  try  my  luck  in  that  part  of  the  world.  I  secured 
a  ticket  and  that  same  evening  found  myself  on  the 
way  to  Victoria,  the  Capital  of  British  Columbia. 

During  the  voyage,  which  lasted  about  four 
days,  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  a  young  fellow 
from  New  York,  who  had  worked  in  the  gold  dig 
gings  of  California  and  Colorado.  Being  of  about  the 
same  age  and  having  the  same  ideas  as  to  travel,  we 
soon  became  friends  and  agreed  to  manage  our 
present  undertaking  for  joint  account. 

There  were  a  good  many  passengers  on  board 
who,  like  ourselves,  misled  by  glowing  newspaper 
accounts,  expected  to  find  up  north  a  second 
Californian  Eldorado. 

Upon  arriving  at  Victoria  we  at  once  made  the 
necessary  preparations,  and  as  soon  as  everything 
was  completed  we  started  for  our  destination. 

At  the  time  of  our  advent  at  the  mines  there 
were  already  a  few  hundred  men  busy  at  work, 
digging,  shoveling  and  washing  the  dirt  they  had 
heaped  together.  Newcomers  arrived  every  day, 
of  whom  a  good  many  brought  their  wives  and 
children  along  with  them  ;  they  pitched  their  tents, 
as  we  and  others  had  done,  at  a  seemingly  conveni- 

(99) 


100  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

ent  place,  but  not  finding  what  they  expected  shifted 
frequently.  The  camp,  extending  for  miles  up  and 
down  the  river,  soon  assumed  the  appearance  of  a 
little  town,  in  which  from  morning  until  evening 
the  greatest  activity  prevailed. 

Within  a  short  time  every  one  felt  disappointed. 
What  little  gold  could  be  found  was  so  insignificant 
in  quantity  that  it  did  not  pay  the  daily  expenses 
of  a  man,  far  less  indemnify  him  for  his  hard 
and  tedious  labor.  Some  of  the  miners,  whose  pro 
visions  were  consumed  and  who  had  not  the  means 
to  buy  the  necessities  of  life  from  the  camp  dealers 
had  left  the  field  of  their  former  hopes  and  dreams 
within  a  few  weeks  after  their  arrival ;  the  others 
remained  longer,  or  until  they  found  themselves  in 
the  same  circumstances  and  were  forced  to  follow 
their  example. 

Any  number  of  little  stores  and  saloons,  which 
sprung  up  like  mushrooms  from  the  ground,  could 
be  seen  in  every  direction,  and  their  proprietors  did 
the  best  business  of  all  of  us.  They  sold  liquor, 
implements,  groceries,  etc.,  at  tremendously  high 
prices,  and  one  might  say  that  all  the  money  the 
men  brought  with  them  dropped  into  their  pockets. 

Life  in  camp  was  very  wild  and  unrestrained, 
and  offered  opportunities  for  reverses  which  from 
day  to  day  could  be  more  plainly  noticed.  The 
greater  part  of  these  men  belonged  to  a  rough  and 
desperate  class  who  as  they  did  not  find  the  expected 
gold,  became  bitter  and  vengeful  and  spent  most  of 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  101 

their  time  in  drinking  and  gambling.  Crimes  of 
all  sorts  soon  became  so  frequent  that  without 
revolver  at  hand  no  one  dared  to  go  out  or  lay 
down  at  night. 

Our  provisions,  also,  were  soon  exhausted,  but 
fortunately  we  were  so  situated  that  we  could 
replace  them,  and  to  do  this  one  of  us  went  to  the 
nearest  store  every  Saturday  and  bought  the  neces 
sary  supply  for  the  following  week.  One  evening  it 
came  my  turn  to  do  the  purveying,  and  having 
arrived  at  the  store  and  purchased  the  provisions  I 
decided  to  take  a  glass  of  beer  before  going  home. 

Seating  myself  at  a  table  I  noticed  two  desper 
ate  looking  fellows  playing  monte  at  the  other  end. 
They  both  had  some  gold  coins  lying  before  them, 
and  while  watching  the  game  it  seemed  to  me  that 
the  chances  were  more  in  favor  of  one  than  of  the 
other  gambler.  The  loosing  miner  had  just  parted 
with  the  last  coin  which  lay  before  him,  when  he 
stuck  his  hand  into  his  pocket,  and  drawing  out  a 
ten-dollar-piece,  laid  it  on  the  table,  with  his  revolver 
beside.  The  cards  were  drawn  and  again  he  lost. 
The  winner,  as  if  deciding  what  under  the  circum 
stances  would  be  best  to  do-,  at  last  picked  up  the 
ten-dollar  gold  piece,  and  seeing  this  the  looser 
fired  at  him,  but  missed,  and  before  he  could  fire 
again  his  antagonist  pulled  his  pistol  and  shot  him 
down.  He  fell  backward  from  the  bench  to  the 
floor,  rolled  over  once  or  twice,  and  expired  without 
uttering  a  word.  The  other  party  put  money  and 


102  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

revolver  in  his  pocket,  lighted  his  pipe,  and  went 
away  as  if  nothing  had  happened. 

I  went  home,  spoke  to  my  partner  about  the 
occurrence,  and  during  the  following  night  could 
hardly  throw  off  the  impressions  of  the  last  few 
hours. 

At  last,  seeing  the  uselessness  of  remaining 
longer,  we  decided  to  return  to  Victoria. 

Poorer  in  means,  but  richer  in  experience,  I 
knew  for  the  future  that  no  confidence  was  to  be 
placed  in  overdrawn  newspaper  accounts  of  mining 
districts.  Booming  up  a  country  or  a  tract  of  land, 
in  which  this  or  the  other  party  is  more  or  less 
interested,  always  attracts  a  good  many  "  green 
horns,"  who,  usually,  have  to  pay  very  dearly  for 
their  credulity. 


CHAPTER  VI 

After  I  had  seen  the  beautiful  Puget  Sound 
and  the  Gulf  of  Georgia,  I  left  Victoria  for  Port 
land,  Oregon. 

There  I  lived  in  a  boarding  and  lodging-house, 
until  my  money  was  nearly  gone,  when  I  obtained 
a  situation  in  the  house  as  waiter.  The  place  was 
crowded  with  guests  of  different  trades  and  national 
ities.  The  men  went  to  work  in  the  morning, 
immediately  after  breakfast,  returned  at  twelve 
for  dinner,  and  at  six  in  the  evening  for  supper. 

For  breakfast  they  had  porridge,  fish,  steak, 
mutton  chops,  ham  and  eggs,  liver  and  bacon, 
sausage,  baked,  boiled  and  mashed  potatoes.  For 
dinner,  soup,  roast  beef,  reast  mutton,  roast  veal, 
stew,  vegetables,  pie,  pudding  and  fruits.  For  sup 
per,  steak,  hash,  cod-fish  balls,  pork  and  beans,  and 
potatoes.  Tea,  coffee,  milk,  ice-water,  butter,  cheese, 
and  different  kinds  of  bread  were  served  at  every 
meal.  On  Sundays  they  had  chocolate  and  a*  few 
extra  dishes. 

Breakfast  was  served  from  six  to  eight,  dinner 
from  twelve  to  two,  and  supper  from  half-past  five 
to  eight. 

A  cook  and  a  dishwasher  had  to  attend  to  the 
kitchen  affairs  ;  two  chamber-maids  made  the  beds 
and  dusted  the  rooms ;  three  waiters  served  the 

(103) 


104  TRAVEL,   ETC. 

meals,  and  kept  dining  room,  dining  tables  and 
everything  else  in  this  department  in  order,  and  a 
barkeeper  attended  to  his  bar  and  barroom,  in 
which  he  was  assisted  by  the  proprietor,  who  man 
aged  his  business  entirely  himself. 

The  guests  paid  from  seven  to  ten  dollars  a 
week  for  their  board  and  lodging,  according  to 
whether  they  had  a  room  to  themselves  or  with 
others. 

For  a  single  meal  fifty  cents  was  charged,  and 
for  a  bed  one  dollar  per  night. 

The  cook  was  paid  sixty,  the  barkeeper  fifty,  the 
waiters  each  forty,  the  chamber-maids  each  thirty- 
five,  and  the  dishwasher  thirty  dollars  a  month. 

No  one  of  us  expected,  and  none  of  our  board 
ers  or  roomers  ever  gave  us  gratuities  for  services, 
for  which  we  were  paid  by  our  employer.  "  Tipping," 
as  it  is  called,  so  customary  in  Europe,  especially 
Germany,  was  entirely  unknown  to  us.  In  this 
country  employers  are  forced  to  respect  employes 
far  more  than  they  do  in  the  Old  World,  and  pay 
those  whom  they  employ  upon  such  a  scale  that 
they  do  not  become  a  burden  and  a  nuisance  to  the 
guests  in  the  house. 


CHAPTER  VII 

A  few  months  later,  as  I  had  again  accumu 
lated  a  little  money,  I  decided  to  leave  Portland 
and  return  overland  to  San  Francisco.  In  com 
pany  with  a  young  carpenter,  whose  acquaintance 
I  had  made  in  Portland,  and  who,  like  myself, 
wished  to  see  the  world,  I  left  the  picturesque  shores 
of  the  Willamette  one  morning.  Besides  blankets, 
in  which  we  wrapped  our  few  possessions  in  the 
way  of  clothing,  etc.,  we  carried  revolvers,  guns 
and  knives  with  us. 

Happily  and  contentedly  we  tramped  along,  day 
after  day,  and  in  the  evenings,  at  the  end  of  our 
day's  journey,  selected  some  pretty  spot  for  night- 
quarter.  On  the  open  plain,  upon  the  bank  of  some 
rushing  river,  or  under  the  spreading  branches  of 
the  noble  pines,  with  the  star-studded  heavens  for 
a  roof,  we  made  our  beds. 

During  all  this  time  we  lived  mostly  upon 
game,  which  we  found  in  such  abundance  that  we 
had  but  to  make  a  choice.  Sometimes  early  in  the 
evening,  at  other's  later,  we  kindled  a  fire,  roasted 
a  duck,  a  snipe,  a  goose,  a  quail,  a  rabbit,  or  a  cut 
of  venison,  as  the  case  might  be,  and  after  we  had 
enjoyed  our  supper  as  only  healthy  men  living  in 
the  open  air  can,  lighted  our  pipes,  wrapped  our 

(105) 


100  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

blankets  about  us  and  whistled,  laughed  and  con 
versed  until  sleep  closed  our  eyes. 

Surrounded  by  the  most  beautiful  works  of 
nature,  perfectly  well,  with  out  a  single  care  or  sorrow, 
and  blessed  with  youth,  with  all  its  capacity  for 
enjoyment,  I  often  felt  as  if  I  could  have  sung  my 
heart  out  to  the  whole  world. 

Of  course,  we  met  with  many  difficulties  and 
obstructions  in  our  journey ;  the  country  was 
at  places  wild  and  rugged,  the  trails  difficult, 
and  the  weather  stormy,  cold  and  rainy.  For 
days  at  a  time  we  were  soaked  to  the  skin,  and 
from  cold  and  hunger  could  scarcely  close  our  eyes 
at  night.  But  we  looked  at  everything  from  the 
brightest  point  of  view,  bore  cheerfully  any  of  these 
adverse  strokes  of  fortune,  and  when  the  storms 
cleared  away  and  the  sun  shone  again,  nature  seemed 
but  the  more  beautiful  to  us  from  the  contrast  of 
her  darker  mood. 

After  a  month's  travel  we  found  ourselves  in 
the  northern  portion  of  California,  in  the  vicinity  of 
grandly  impressive  Mount  Shasta. 

The  sight  of  this  beautiful  old  volcano,  with  its 
conical  peak,  its  glaciers,  its  snow-fields  and  its  mul 
titude  of  lesser  peaks,  was  indescribably  grand.  For 
many  days  we  had  this  wonderful  panorama  before 
us,  and  when,  at  last  it  disappeared  in  the  hazy  clouds 
of  the  northern  horizon,  we  could  not  but  feel  sadly 
depressed  and"  lonely. 

On  reaching  Marysville  my  companion  left  me, 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  107 

but  I  continued  my  journey,  and  a  few  days  later 
obtained  work  with  a  farmer,  in  whose  barn  I  had 
spent  the  night,  as  ditch  digger. 

His  farm  lay  along  the  Sacramonto  River,  and, 
to  prevent  the  tide  from  overflowing  the  lower 
portion  of  his  land,  he  was  obliged  to  dig  a  trench 
along  the  river  front,  using  the  excavated  earth  to 
build  a  wall  or  levee  along  the  outside  of  the  dyke. 

The  farmer  provided  the  necessary  tools,  paying 
me  not  a  regular  daily  wage,  but  according  to  the 
amount  of  work  I  did,  so  much  per  yard.  If  I  was 
industrious  and  worked  conscientiously  I  could 
make  as  much  as  three  dollars  and  more  per  day, 
but,  of  course,  if  I  did  not  work  hard  and  continu 
ously  I  made  less. 

Besides  myself  there  were  five  other  young 
men  employed  upon  the  farm  to  do  the  plowing, 
sowing,  milking  and  all  the  rest  of  the  agricultural 
labor. 

We  were  lodged  together  in  a  barn,  and  took  our 
meals  with  the  family,  which  consisted  of  the 
farmer,  his  wife -and  three  pretty  children. 

After  breakfast  I  went  to  ditch-digging,  re 
turned  to  the  house  at  twelve  o'clock  for  dinner, 
back  to  work  until  sundown,  when  we  had  supper; 
all  the  time  working  like  a  regular  coolie. 

A  number  of  huge  live-oak  trees  stood  along 
the  banks  of  the  river,  the  limbs  of  which  partly 
overhung  the  water.  About  every  two  hours  I  took 
a  short  rest,  and  in  these  trees  found  recreation  and 


108  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

comfort.  I  climbed  into  one  of  them,  selected  a 
comfortable  limb,  seated  myself,  lighted  my  pipe, 
and  enjoyed  for  a  few  minutes  the  charming  pano 
rama  which  this  richly  endowed  landscape  presented 
in  every  direction. 

Immediately  after  supper  I  went  to  bed,  and 
utterly  fatigued,  I  soon  fell  asleep  not  awaking 
until  the  cocks  saluted  the  dawn. 

The  Sundays,  when  only  absolutely  necessary 
labor  was  performed,  were  always  spent  in  a  very 
pleasant  fashion.  After  breakfast  we  went  rowing, 
sailing,  fishing  or  shooting  water-fowl.  After  din 
ner  we  saddled  some  of  the  horses  and  rode  about 
for  hours,  and  after  supper  we  grouped  ourselves 
under  the  fruit  trees  which  surrounded  the  house 
and  barns,  passing  the  evening  in  general  conver 
sation. 

At  length  I  became  tired  of  this  quiet,  un 
eventful  life,  and  resolved  to  return  to  San  Fran 
cisco.  The  farmer  paid  me  my  money,  I  bade  them 
good-bye,  and  made  my  way  to  the  city  by  way  of 
Sacramento. 


CHAPTER   VIII 

Upon  my  arrival  in  San  Francisco  I  moved  into 
a  boarding  house,  sharing  a  room  with  another 
young  man,  and  intended  to  indemnify  myself  for 
all  my  hard  work  and  privation  by  a  short  holiday 
of  amusement  and  recreation. 

But  Providence  had  decided  otherwise,  for 
when  I  awoke  on  the  morning  of  the  third  day  I 
found  the  bed  of  my  room-mate  empty,  and  his 
trunk  and  other  belongings  gone.  My  hands  went 
to  the  belt  about  my  waist,  where  I  carried  my 
hard-earned  money,  and  I  discovered  to  my  amaze 
ment  that  it  had  disappeared,  and  with  it  its  con 
tents  of  five,  ten  and  twenty-dollar  gold  pieces.  The 
rascal  had  even  turned  my  trousers  and  waistcoat 
pockets  inside  out,  and  not  left  me  a  dime. 

How  he  managed  to  rob  me  in  such  a  daring 
way  has  always  remained  a  puzzle  to  me.  I  dressed, 
went  down  and  told  the  proprietor  of  what  had  hap 
pened.  He  professed  the  utmost  sympathy  with  me 
at  my  loss,  but  that  was  all  the  good  I  got  from 
him.  He  had  no  idea  of  what  had  become  of  my 
ex-room-mate,  who  settled  his  bill  the  night  before, 
telling  the  landlord  that  he  intended  leaving  early 
the  next  morning. 

Downcast  and  depressed  I  returned  to  my 
room,  brooding  over  my  misfortune  and  the  very 

(109) 


110  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

discouraging  prospect  before  me.  I  had  not  a  cent 
of  my  own,  and  besides  I  was  indebted  to  the  pro 
prietor  for  my  board  and  lodging  from  the  day  of 
my  arrival. 

Realizing  that  my  position  was  not  to  be  bet 
tered  by  worrying  over  it,  I  soon  gave  that  up  and 
began  to  lay  my  plans  for  the  future.  I  went  down 
to  the  bar-room,  got  hold  of  a  morning  paper,  and 
read  in  the  "  want "  advertisements  that  firemen 
were  wanted  on  the  steamship  Golden  City.  Fifteen 
minutes  later  I  found  myself  aboard  the  steamer, 
applying  for  ihe  job. 

The  chief  engineer  directed  me  to  his  first  as 
sistant,  and  he  a  few  minutes  later  shipped  me  as  a 
fireman,  assigning  me  to  the  watch  of  the  third  as 
sistant  engineer. 

I  went  back  to  the  hotel,  promised  the  pro 
prietor  to  pay  his  bill  on  my  return  from  Panama, 
then,  with  my  few  belongings  under  my  arm,  I  re 
turned  on  board.  The  vessel  was  not  timed  to  sail 
until  the  following  day,  but  I  prepared  to  go  aboard 
at  once  and  remain  there.  They  sent  me  down  to 
the  engine  and  fire-rooms,  where  I  was  kept  busy  in 
a  number  of  ways. 

The  Golden  City  belonged  to  the  Pacific  Mail 
Steamship  Company,  and  was  one  of  a  magnificent 
fleet  of  side-wheel  steamers  which  in  those  days 
plied  between  Panama  and  San  Francisco.  She 
could  steam  at  a  rate  of  over  twelve  knots  an  hour, 
and  registered  about  three  thousand  tons.  She  was 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  Ill 

provided  with,  all  the  luxuries  that  American  inge 
nuity  could  suggest,  and  offered  to  passengers  many 
comforts  that  even  at  the  present  time  are  unknown 
on  board  screw-steamers. 

Any  one  who  has  known  these  floating  palaces 
from  experience  must  doubtless  often  recall  the 
time  of  ocean  side- wheelers.  In  the  late  sixties  and 
early  seventies  these  magnificently  luxurious  boats, 
some  as  large  as  five  thousand  tons,  carried  on  the 
traffic  between  China,  Japan  and  California.  Some 
of  these  vessels  were  destroyed  by  fire  and  ship 
wreck,  others  were  broken  up  and  used  as  store- 
ships,  while  others  again  were  sold  to  Japan,  where 
some  of  them  are  to-day  still  in  existence  and  kept 
running  along  the  coast  and  on  the  Inland  Sea. 

The  next  day  we  left  San  Francisco.  We  were 
in  all  twelve  firemen  and  twelve  trimmers  aboard, 
equally  assigned  to  the  three  watches  of  the  first, 
second  and  third  assistant  engineers.  Each  watch 
was  on  duty  for  four  hours  at  a  stretch,  with  eight 
hours  off.  The  fire-room  was  situated  at  the  bottom 
of  the  hold,  and  contained  twenty  furnaces,  ten  on 
either  side  ;  each  of  these  furnaces  was  about  six 
feet  deep,  and  consumed  in  one  hour  some  two  hun 
dred  pounds  of  coal.  Each  fireman  on  duty  had 
five  furnaces  to  attend  to,  and  the  coal-heaver's 
duty  was  to  look  out  that  a  supply  of  coal  was  always 
at  hand.  The  twenty  furnaces  consumed  from  forty 
to  forty-five  tons  of  coal  every  twenty-four  hours, 
so  that  each  fireman  had  during  his  watch  of  four 


112  TRAVEL,   ETC. 

hours  to  shovel  about  four  thousand  pounds  of  coal 
into  his  five  furnaces.  At  intervals  of  fifteen  min 
utes  we  opened  the  doors  and  overhauled  the  fires. 
With  long  iron  pokers,  which  became  so  hot  that 
we  could  scarcely  retain  our  hold  upon  them,  we 
thrust  into  the  glowing  furnaces,  stirred  up  the 
coals,  removed  the  slag  and  ashes,  and  replenished 
them  with  fresh  fuel.  If  we  were  not  careful  to  do 
this  regularly,  then  the  steam  pressure  was  reduced, 
and  the  engineer  on  duty  greeted  us  with  volumes 
of  expressive,  but  not  very  complimentary  language. 
So  exhausting  was  this  work,  more  particularly 
owing  to  the  intense  heat  of  the  fire-room,  that  the 
ten  minutes  it  took  us  to  get  through  it  left  one 
often  so  tired  out  that  his  legs  trembled  under  him 
and  he  could  scarcely  stand. 

That  five  minutes  during  which  we  had  an 
opportunity  to  recuperate  ourselves  for  the  next 
attack  upon  the  furnaces  we  spent  cooling  our  trem 
bling  and  perspiring  bodies  under  the  ventilators, 
reveling  in  the  fresh  air. 

The  further  south  we  steamed  the  more  insup 
portable  became  the  temperature  in  our  fire-room, 
where  the  thermometer  registered  about  one  hun 
dred  and  fifty  degrees.  Exposure  to  such  a  heat  is 
sufficient  to  bring  down  the  strength  of  even  the 
strongest  man.  Every  one  of  us  showed  the  effects 
of  it,  and  we  all  began  to  look  pale  and  weak. 

We  kept  our  bodies  covered  to  protect  them 
from  the  glare  of  those  pits  of  fire,  but  in  spite  of 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  113 

all  precaution  the  heat,  cracking  and  drying  the 
skin,  soon  made  it  sore,  even  underneath  the  cloth 
covering.  As  I  became  weaker  my  brain  would 
reel,  and  the  furnace  and  everything  about  seemed 
to  dance  a  sort  of  devil's  dance  before  my  eyes,  and 
then  it  seemed  as  though  some  irresistible  power 
was  impelling  me  to  the  embrace  of  the  white  heat 
of  the  seething  lull. 

The  work  was,  I  think,  the  most  exhaustive 
that  anyone  was  called  upon  to  perform,  but  we 
were  proportionately  paid,  and  in  order  to  recruit 
our  energies  the  fare  provided  us  was  equal  to  that 
served  at  any  first-rate  hotel. 

The  firemen  were  paid  at  the  rate  of  a  hundred 
and  the  trimmers  at  the  rate  of  eighty  dollars  per 
month.  The  work  performed  by  the  trimmers  was 
a  good  deal  easier  than  ours.  They  were  not  obliged 
to  stand  the  intense  heat  of  those  awful  furnaces, 
but  simply  to  get  the  coal  out  of  the  bunkers,  rake 
the  slag  and  ashes  together  and  heave  them  on  deck 
and  overboard. 

Firemen  and  trimmers  had  sleeping  and  living 
quarters  together  in  the  same  part  of  the  ship.  It 
was  a  large  room  lying  below  the  water  line.  About 
its  walls  ran  three  tiers  of  bunks,  one  above  another. 
Fresh  air  was  supplied  by  ventilators  in  the  deck 
above.  In  the  center  of  the  floor  stood  table  and 
benches,  while  a  number  of  lamps  provided  light. 

The  stewards  were  obliged  to  keep  everything 
neat  and  ship-shape,  and  the  men  found  their  meals 

TRAVEL   8 


114  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

served  for  them  as  soon  as  they  came  off  watch. 
Returning  from  our  work,  we  cleaned  and  washed 
ourselves,  and  then  sat  down  to  our  meal.  The 
tahle  was  served  with  every  variety  of  food  that  any 
one  could  possibly  wish — tea,  coffee,  iced  water, 
hutter,  hread,  cheese,  soup,  roasts,  chops,  stews, 
vegetable,  pastry  and  fruits.  Each  one  helped  him 
self,  and  ate  and  drank  whatever  he  pleased.  The 
food  remained  on  the  table  until  the  next  watch 
came  from  its  work  ;  then  almost  every  thing  remain 
ing  was  thrown  overboard,  and  the  table  served 
again  with  fresh  food  for  them. 

Wine  and  spirits  were  served  out  to  us  in  large 
quantities,  and  a  bucket  filled  with  lime-juice  hung 
always  in  the  fire-room. 

In  proportion  to  my  loss  of  strength  so  also  I 
lost  appetite.  Very  often  after  my  watch  in  the 
fire-room  was  ended  I  was  unable  to  swallow  a 
mouthful  of  food,  and  had  only  strength  left  to 
crawl  into  my  bunk,  where  I  at  once  fell  into  an 
exhausted  sleep,  which  lasted  until  the  call,  "Eight 
bells,"  awoke  me  and  drove  me  down  to  my  fiery 
ordeal. 

We  called  at  different  Mexican  and  Central 
American  ports  to  land  freight,  mails  and  pas 
sengers. 

Shortly  after  leaving  Manzanillo  one  of  the 
firemen  on  my  watch,  a  tall,  heavily-built  Irish 
man,  died.  There  were  but  few  among  us 
who  during  the  trip  did  not  faint  at  least  once. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  115 

In  such  cases  we  were  carried  on  deck,  a 
few  buckets  of  cold  water  were  poured  over  us, 
and,  reviving,  had  to  go  to  work  as  usual. 
This  happened  to  my  Irish  shipmate,  who  after  his 
shower-bath  reappeared  in  the  furnace  room,  seem 
ingly  as  well  as  ever.  But  it  was  not  many  minutes 
before  he  succumbed  to  the  heat  once  more,  and, 
although  restoratives  were  again  applied,  he 
remained  unconscious.  The  doctor  was  summoned, 
but  could  do  nothing,  as  life  had  gone  out  of  him. 
A  little  later  his  body  was  given  to  the  insa 
tiable  sea. 

Consideration  on  the  part  of  our  engineers 
could  not  be  expected.  The  Golden  City  was  a  mail 
steamer  and  had  to  run  according  to  schedule  time. 
If  the  engineers  had  showed  indulgence  to  any  one 
of  us,  then  all  the  others  would  have  expected  the 
same,  and  the  vessel,  instead  of  going  ahead,  would 
have  been  driven  back  by  the  current. 

After  my  unfortunate  shipmate's  sad  ending  I 
felt  in  my  own  mind  that  very  probably  I  would  be 
the  next  one  to  go.  We  coaled  at  Acapulco  and  lay 
there  for  several  hours.  As  we  steamed  into  the 
harbor  I  sat  on  the  railing,  and  gazing  into  the  mir 
ror-like  surface  of  the  water,  debated  with  myself 
whether  it  would  not  be  better  to  jump  overboard 
and  become  a  prey  to  the  waiting  sharks  than  to  be 
slowly  roasted  and  tortured  to  death  in  the  infernal 
heat  of  our  fire-room. 

The  love  of  life,  however,  was  too  strong  in  me, 


116  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

so  I  decided  to  live  ;  but  I  made  up  my  mind  to  run 
away,  leaving  everything  behind  me,  as  soon  as  we 
had  reached  the  port  of  destination.  When,  how 
ever,  we  steamed  into  the  harbor  of  Panama,  I  al 
tered  my  determination,  and  in  spite  of  my  miserable 
condition  of  health  and  my  sore  and  swollen  hands, 
I  came  to  a  wiser  and  more  sensible  conclusion.  I 
felt  almost  ashamed  of  my  former  weakness,  and 
did  not  think  another  moment  of  such  a  thing  as 
running  away,  to  return  to  San  Francisco  as  a  cow 
ard  and  deserter. 

The  distance  from  San  Francisco  to  Panama  is 
not  quite  thirty-five  hundred  miles,  and  we  made  it, 
including  stoppages,  in  thirteen  days.  The  passen 
gers,  some  five  or  six  hundred  in  number,  were 
landed  at  once  and  sent  by  rail  across  the  Isthmus 
to  Aspinwall,  whence  they  took  another  steamer  for 
New  York. 

In  those  day  there  were  no  overland  railroads 
as  now,  and  the  travel  by  way  of  Panama  and  Nica 
ragua  was  brisk  and  lively.  The  saloon  passage  from 
San  Francisco  to  New  York  was  three  hundred 
dollars,  and  steerage  passage  one  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars.  The  trip  from  San  Francisco  to  New  York 
or  vice  versa  usually  took  eighteen,  but  never  more 
than  twenty  days. 

We  lay  nine  days  in  Panama,  and  found  it 
time  enough  to  regain  strength  and  prepare  for  our 
homeward  voyage.  During  these  nine  days  there 
were  no  watches  below  for  us;  the  furnaces  remained 


TEA  VEL,    ETC. 


117 


cold,  and  we  only  worked  during  the  daytime,  and 
not  very  hard  even  then. 

With  a  full  cargo  and  a  large  number  of  pas 
sengers  we  sailed  from  Panama,  making  the  run  to 
San  Francisco  in  a  little  more  than  thirteen  days. 


CHAPTER  IX 

A  few  hours  after  our  arrival  in  the  home  port 
we  were  paid  off.  I  put  my  hard-earned  money  in 
my  pocket,  took  leave  of  some  of  my  shipmates,  and 
went  ashore.  I  at  once  paid  the  few  dollars  I  owed 
my  former  landlord,  and  then  started  out  to  look  up 
lodgings  in  some  private  house.  My  money  I 
knew  would  not  last  very  long,  and  so  I  was  forced 
to  get  something  else  to  earn  a  living  by. 

I  did  not  care  to  accept  a  position  as  clerk  in  a 
commercial  house,  as  I  thought  that  the  associations 
of  such  a  pleasant,  comfortable  life  would  soon  cool 
all  my  ambition  to  see  the  world. 

Circumstances  are  always  potent  in  men's  lives. 
Many  a  man  has  gone  into  the  world  young  and 
ardent,  full  of  noble  impulses  for  the  good  of  him 
self  and  his  fellows,  only  to  find  himself  cribbed 
and  checked  at  every  turn,  by  circumstances  too 
strong  for  him.  I  had  brought  from  China  letters 
of  introduction  to  some  half  dozen  or  more  of  the 
principal  commercial  houses  in  San  Francisco,  but 
of  all  these  letters  I  delivered  just  one,  and  that  one 
I  would  not  have  delivered  had  my  mail  not  been 
adressed  in  care  of  this  firm. 

The  head  partner  of  the  house,  an  elderly  gen 
tleman  of  venerable  appearance,  was  exceedingly 
kindly  disposed  toward  me.  He  treated  me  almost 

(118) 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  119 

as  his  son,  inviting  me  to  make  my  home  with  him 
and  to  accept  a  position  in  his  office.  I  thanked 
him  for  his  good  will  and  his  fatherly  advice,  but 
felt  sincerely  sorry  that  I  was  unable  to  profit  by 
them.  Whenever  I  put  in  an  appearance  at  his 
office  for  my  mail,  the  old  gentleman  tried  to  per 
suade  me  to  give  up  my  "  vagabond  life,"  as  he 
used  to  call  it,  and  take  a  position  in  his  house. 
Being  afraid  that  he  might  frustrate  my  plans, 
though  with  the  best  intentions  in  the  world,  I 
never  gave  him  any  more  information  about  my 
self  than  a  few  meager,  unimportant  facts,  just 
enough  to  let  him  know  that  I  was  perfectly  able 
to  take  care  of  myself,  and  incapable  of  following 
any  calling  in  life,  save  an  honorable  one. 

At  length  but  a  few  dollars  remained  to  me, 
and  as  I  had  to  turn  my  hand  to  something,  I  in 
vested  in  two  large  market  baskets  with  handles, 
filled  them  with  apples,  selected  the  water  front  as 
a  scene  of  operations,  and  started  out  as  a  fruit  mer 
chant. 

The  beginning  was  a  very  encouraging  one ; 
before  evening  my  baskets  were  empty,  and  I  had 
made  a  clear  profit  of  more  than  four  dollars.  Al 
though  receipts  for  certain  days  were  less  encourag 
ing,  taking  one  day  with  another,  I  did  very  well  in 
my  new  venture,  and  thus  learned  for  the  first  time 
that  the  business  of  peddling  fruit  is  much  more 
lucrative  than  people  generally  imagine. 

A  box  of  fruit,  which  in  the  morning  I  bought 


120  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

from  the  wholesalers  at  a  cost  of  a  dollar  or  a  dollar 
and  a  half,  I  retailed  at  a  profit  of  from  four  to  five 
hundred  per  cent.  If  any  were  left  over  in  the 
evening,  which  on  account  of  its  becoming  too  ripe 
would  be  unsaleable  the  next  day,  I  ate  it  myself,  or 
gave  to  the  children  of  my  landlord. 

I  remember  still  with  pleasure  an  incident  which 
occurred  one  day,  as,  with  my  baskets  slung  on  my 
arms  and  munching  away  at  an  apple,  I  strolled 
about  on  the  wharf.  A  captain  of  a  ship  came  to 
wards  me  and  said,  "  Say,  my  boy,  if  you  eat  all  the 
apples  yourself,  you  won't  have  any  profit."  I 
laughed  at  his  very  true  remark,  and  a  little  later 
had  the  satisfaction  of  selling  him  my  whole  stock. 
I  took  the  apples  on  board  for  him,  received  my 
money  with  thanks,  and  wished  that  I  might  find 
such  a  customer  as  he  every  afternoon. 

Very  probably  I  would  have  continued  in  the 
fruit  business  a  little  longer,  had  not  the  humdrum 
life,  together  with  the  continuous  loafing  about  the 
streets  disgusted  me  with  it.  So  I  decided  to  turn 
my  hands  to  something  else,  and  most  opportunely 
a  bootblack  boy  with  whom  I  had  been  acquainted, 
gave  me  a  hint,  which  I  followed,  and  with  profit. 
As  we  were  walking  about  the  docks  one  day  on 
the  lookout  for  customers,  discussing  the  merits  of 
our  respective  lines  of  trade,  he  claimed  that  his 
business  was  more  lucrative  than  mine,  and  also, 
with  true  professional  jealousy,  intimated  that  it 
was  beneath  his  dignity,  and  he  would  be  ashamed, 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  121 

were  he  a  great,  strong,  healthy  fellow  like  I,  to  be 
peddling  fruit  from  the  basket. 

Whether  or  no  his  contention  was  just  and 
proper,  I  do  not  care  to  discuss  ;  suffice  it  to  say  that 
that  same  evening  I  sold  my  baskets  and  decided  to 
become  a  bootblack.  The  slightest  hints,  if  they 
come  from  practical  men,  even  in  the  smallest  way 
of  business,  are  very  often  valuable,  and  I  availed 
myself  of  all  the  knowledge  of  my  new  profession 
that  T  found  an  opportunity  to  absorb. 

The  very  next  morning  after  disposing  of  my 
baskets  I  bought  the  necessary  kit  of  tools  for  my 
new  trade,  put  them  in  a  box,  slung  it  over  my 
shoulder,  and  was  ready  for  business. 

The  comfortable  and,  I  may  say,  almost  elegant 
bootback-stands  that  are  now  so  common  in  San 
Francisco,  were  then  unknown.  Any  one  who 
wanted  a  "  shine  "  was  obliged  to  stand  on  the  street 
corner,  his  weight  balanced  on  one  foot,  the  other 
resting  upon  the  more  or  less  insecure  footrest  on 
the  box  of  the  artist,  until  that  individual  had 
"  shined  him  up." 

In  those  days  the  regular  price  for  a  shine  was 
one  bit — a  "  short  bit  "  or  ten  cents,  of  course — 
it  was  the  smallest  coin  known  in  California  in 
those  much-to-be-regretted  days,  when  money  had 
not  the  value  it  has  now  ;  but  often  a  customer 
threw  a  quarter  or  even  a  four-bit  piece  into  my 
box,  and  to  my  delight,  declined  change.  A  first- 
class  shine,  a  thoroughly  careful  brush  given  to 


122  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

coat,  trousers  and  hat,  might  well  have  induced  to 
such  generosity. 

At  the  beginning  of  my  career  in  this  field  of 
lahor  I  stationed  myself  on  the  street  corners  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  city,  where,  especially  on  damp, 
gloomy  days,  I  drove  a  very  flourishing  trade.  But 
later  I  discovered  that  the  water  front,  at  times, 
offered  far  better  opportunities  for  making  money 
than  the  more  fashionable  portion  of  the  town. 
Sea-faring  men,  or  those  who  have  to  do  with  ves 
sels,  are  always  liberal,  and  like  to  have  their  cloth 
ing  brushed  and  generally  tidied  up  as  soon  as  they 
are  through  with  work. 

In  spite  of  the  strong  competion  which  I 
encountered  there,  I  was  often  kept  so  busy  during 
the  day  that  I  could  hardly  get  a  minute's  rest.  I 
had  no  reason  to  complain  of  lack  of  customers  and 
made  far  more  than  I  expected  to  at  first.  Some 
days  I  earned  as  much  as  ten  dollars,  but,  although 
it  may  sound  like  self-praise,  I  must  say  in  justice 
to  myself,  that  from  early  morning  until  late  at 
night,  in  all  sorts  of  weather,  I  was  about  looking 
out  for  customers. 

In  pursuit  of  my  calling  I  naturally  came  more 
or  less  into  contact  with  a  good  many  newsboys 
who  then  as  now,  made  the  different  ferry  landings 
their  headquarters.  Leading  an  easier  life  then  I, 
it  seemed  to  me  that  they  made  money  faster  than 
I  was  able  to.  I  inquired  into  it,  and  found  that 
their  profits  were  over  one  hundred  per  cent,  and 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  123 

that  their  unsold  wares   could  be  returned  to  the 
offices  of  the  several  papers. 

Boys,  who  were  not  afraid  to  push  themselves 
in  any  and  everywhere,  crying  their  merchandise 
in  good  stentorian  tones,  made  a  splendid  profit;  so 
I  decided  to  give  up  boot-blacking  and  go  into  the 
newspaper  business. 

This  new  trade,  at  first,  had  a  great  attraction 
for  me,  so  much  the  more  as  the  goods  went  off 
rapidly,  leaving  a  nice  margin  in  the  pockets  of  the 
seller  for  every  sheet  sold.  More  or  less  the  whole 
day  over  business  was  bright,  but  especially  so  in 
the  mornings  and  evenings  when  the  first  and  last 
editions  were  brought  out. 

During  the  mornings  I  worked  the  water  front; 
later  in  the  day  'I  strolled  about  the  streets,  or 
sprang  from  one  street-car  to  another,  crying  my 
wares;  and  towards  evening  I  returned  to  the 
wharves  and  ferries.  Business  men  on  their  way 
home  after  their  day's  work  in  the  city  used  to 
provide  themselves  there  with  the  latest  papers 
before  crossing  the  bay. 


CHAPTER  X 

After  a  time  the  life  of  a  newsboy  palled  upon 
me,  and  I  decided  to  change  my  vocation.  As  far 
as  money-making  was  concerned  I  had  no  com 
plaint  to  make.  I  had  made  hundreds  of  dollars 
during  the  last  months,  and  felt  that  I  was  entitled 
to  a  little  rest  and  recreation.  I  intended  to  make 
a  trip  into  the  interior  and  see  some  of  the  great 
natural  wonders  of  California. 

After  a  short  rest  in  the  city  I  strapped  a  few 
necessaries  together  and  started  on  my  travels  with 
a  light  heart,  a  contented  and  happy  mind. 

A  tramp  of  a  few  weeks  brought  me  to  the  goal 
of  all  my  dreams  and  aspirations.  Here  I  found 
myself  surrounded  by  the  most  beautiful  and 
sublime  creations  of  nature,  in  a  spot  where  it 
seemed  that  she  had  lavished  all  her  splendor  and 
magnificence  of  form  and  coloring. 

In  that  wonderful  Yosemite  Valley,  among  its 
enthralling  surroundings,  lying  at  my  ease  under 
the  giant  shadows  of  those  stupendous  titans  of  the 
Mariposa  and  Calaveras  groves,  I  have  steeped  my 
soul  in  the  sublime  and  exquisite  beauty  of  our 
great  mother. 

When  at  length  I  was  obliged  to  leave  this  be- 
wilderingly  engrossing  bit  of  nature's  handiwork, 
where  I  had  experienced  a  sense  of  indescribable 

(124) 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  125 

calmness  and  serenity  of  mind  such  as  I  have  never 
known  elsewhere,  I  felt  for  many  days  sadly  de 
pressed,  almost  as  though  forsaken  by  all  I  held 
dear. 

The  forest  of  this  remote  valley  reminded  me 
in  many  ways  of  those  of  the  Philippines,  where 
are  any  numbers  of  trees  that  in  point  of  size,  q'ual- 
ity  of  timber  and  beauty  of  form  and  foliage  have 
few  equals. 

The  wonderful  molave  wood  of  those  islands 
excels  even  the  famous  mahogany  of  tropical  Amer 
ica,  and  has,  in  fact,  no  equal  in  the  world  for 
hardness,  fineness  of  texture,  and  beauty  of  grain. 
It  is  as  heavy  as  iron,  and  its  beautifully  variegated 
surface  takes  the  most  brilliant  polish. 

There  are  vessels  at  the  Phillipines  constructed 
of  molave  wood  that  were  built  fully  a  hundred 
years  ago.  They  have  been  retired  from  active 
service  on  account  of  their  obsolete  model  and  con 
struction,  but  their  timbers  are  as  sound  now  as  on 
the  day  they  were  launched.  It  is  a  fact,  although 
almost  incredible,  that  the  molave  wood  corrodes 
and  eats  the  iron  bolts,  but  the  bolts  make  hardly 
any  impression  upon  the  wood. 

Some  few  years  since  I  donated  to  the  State 
Museum  in  San  Francisco  two  table  tops  of  molave 
wood,  which  on  account  of  their  dimensions  alone 
are  curiosities,  even  at  the  Philippines.  One  of 
them,  circular  in  form,  measures  one  hundred  and 
seventy  centimeters  in  diameter,  the  other,  oblong, 


126  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

with  a  length  of  two  hundred  and  fifteen  by  a 
breadth  of  one  hundred  and  fifteen  centimeters. 

During  my  journey  back  from  the  Yosemite  I 
came  to  a  farm  in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  which 
was  so  charmingly  situated  that  I  could  not  resist 
calling  at  the  farm-house  with  the  intention  of  offer 
ing  my  services  to  the  proprietor.  My  desire  was 
fulfilled,  and  a  few  minutes  later  I  had  accepted  the 
position  of  a  farm-hand,  at  a  monthly  wage  of 
thirty-five  dollars. 

The  farmer  was  an  Irishman,  and  had  recently 
married  the  daughter  of  one  of  his  neighbors. 
Besides  himself  and  wife,  an  unmarried  sister  of 
his  lived  at  the  farm,  who  assisted  in  the  household 
work.  The  farm-house  stood  upon  a  gentle  rise, 
surrounded  by  fruit  trees,  and  at  a  little  distance  in 
the  midst  of  clumps  of  powerful  live-oaks,  a  few 
spacious  barns. 

Like  most  industrious  and  intelligent  farmers 
in  America,  my  employer  was  very  well  off.  His 
land  had  increased  materially  in  value  since  he 
bought  it.  Everything  was  in  the  best  of  order, 
and  provided  with  all  the  necessary  stock  and  ma 
chinery  to  carry  on  the  business  of  farming. 

The  product,  such  as  cheese,  butter,  eggs,  fruit, 
hay,  wheat,  etc.,  were  sent  to  Stockton,  Sacramento 
and  San  Francisco,  where  it  usually  found  a  good 
market. 

About  one  hundred  cows  were  kept  at  this 
farm,  which  had  to  be  milked  every  morning.  Some 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  127 

of  the  men  were  obliged  to  rise  before  daybreak, 
mount  their  horses  and  round  up  the  cows  to  the 
corral,  where  the  milkers  were  in  readiness.  The 
milking  finished,  we  breakfasted.  Our  dinner  was 
served  at  twelve  o'clock,  and  supper  at  six.  The 
work  of  the  usual  agricultural  order  was  nearly 
altogether  out-of-doors,  and  in  consequence  the  life 
was  a  healthy  one.  To  me,  who  loved  the  fresh  air 
and  the  clear,  natural  surroundings,  it  became  very 
charming,  and  had  I  not  been  of  so  restless  a  dispo 
sition  I  might  have  adopted  the  profession  and  re 
mained  a  tiller  of  the  soil  all  my  days. 

In  the  early  morning,  when  I  galloped  along 
driving  the  cattle  before  me,  the  dew  still  glistening 
on  the  grass,  the  earth  giving  forth  that  subtle,  ex 
quisite  perfume  that  one  only  experiences  at  this 
hour ;  when  the  sun  mounted  in  the  east,  sending 
its  long,  level  rays  of  quivering  gold  across  the  land 
scape  at  its  magic  touch,  sky,  grass,  trees,  all  ablaze 
with  wonderful  colors  ;  when  the  chirps  and  whis 
tles  of  innumerable  birds  came  from  the  thickets 
and  groves,  as  they  cleared  their  little  throats  for 
their  usual  matin  songs ;  when  rabbits,  coyotes 
and  squirrels,  startled  by  the  hoof-beats  of  my  horse, 
scurried  away  in  every  direction — then  I  felt  that 
exquisite,  that  indescribable  joy  of  life  that  comes 
to  us  only  in  youth,  when  our  hearts  and  souls  are 
clean  and  unsullied  by  the  world.  A  sense  of  sin- 
cerest  gratitude  towards  the  Creator  of  our  beauti 
ful  world  surged  through  my  heart  at  such  mo- 


128  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

ments,  and  I  could  not  but  pity  all  those  of  my 
fellow-creatures  who  were  not  capable  of  this  en 
thusiastic  delight  in  the  sublimity  and  tenderly  ex 
quisite  beauty  of  nature. 

We  were  nine  young  men  in  all  employed  on 
the  farm.  We  lodged  in  one  of  the  barns,  and  took 
our  meals  with  the  family  of  the  farmer. 

The  evenings  and  Sundays  were  spent  in  much 
the  same  way  as  on  the  farm  on  which  I  worked  on 
the  upper  Sacramento. 

The  farmer  was  noted  all  over  the  State  for  the 
successful  manner  in  which  he  altered  stallions,  and 
made  a  very  good  yearly  income  from  this  branch 
of  his  work  alone,  stallions  being  brought  to  be 
operated  upon  from  far  and  near,  and  there  were 
always  several  of  these  at  the  farm. 

This  work,  which  was  usually  done  of  a  Sunday 
morning,  was  always  exciting,  and  had  besides  the 
additional  attraction  of  giving  the  men  a  chance  to 
make  a  few  extra  dollars. 

We  mounted  our  horses,  lassoed  the  animals, 
threw  and  bound  them,  and  performed  in  the 
shortest  time  possible  the  painful  operation.  When 
it  was  over  and  they  were  loosened,  the  tortured 
brutes  sometimes  put  their  heads  between  their 
fore-legs  and  ran  for  miles  before  they  regained 
control  of  themselves. 

About  this  time  a  circumstance  occurred  which 
caused  me  deep  gloom.  One  of  my  companions,  a 
young  Englishman,  with  whom  I  was  very  friendly, 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  129 

lost  his  life  in  a  most  dreadful  manner  while  driv 
ing  a  fractious  team  attached  to  a  mowing  machine 
one  day.  He  fell  from  his  seat  to  the  ground,  the 
guards  in  front  of  the  knife  caught  him,  and  the 
horses,  unchecked  and  startled,  ran  away,  causing 
the  knife  to  work  furiously. 

At  a  little  distance,  in  the  same  field,  I,  too,  was 
driving  a  mower,  when  his  horses,  running  at 
racing  speed,  attracted  my  attention.  I  hurried  to 
find  out  what  had  happened.  The  horses  had  at 
last  torn  loose  from,  the  harness,  leaving  the  broken 
machine  behind  them. 

When  I  reached  it  a  sight  met  my  eyes  which 
froze  the  blood  in  my  veins.  The  machine  was 
completely  covered  with  blood,  and  to  and  between 
the  iron  points  tatters  of  clothing  and  pieces  of 
mutilated  flesh  were  hanging.  I  followed  the  path 
over  which  the  mower,  in  its  wild  flight,  had 
passed,  and  found  everywhere  portions  of  the  body 
of  my  unfortunate  friend.  With  the  aid  of  others, 
who  in  the  meantime  had  hurried  to  the  scene,  we 
gathered  together  all  that  was  left  of  him  and  car 
ried  it  to  the  house.  The  women  fainted  when  they 
saw  the  bloody  remains  of  our  young  friend,  who, 
scarcely  an  hour  ago,  sat  happy,  hearty  and  con 
tented  among  them. 

The  next  day  we  buried  his  remains  among  a 
group  of  liveoak  trees.  As  he  left  nothing  among 
his  possessions  that  could  give  any  information 
about  his  people  in  England,  I  fear  that  his 

TBAVEL   9 


130  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

parents   will   never   know   what    became   of    their 
son. 

Before  this  awful  affair  happened  I  had  made 
the  acquaintance  of  a  young  fellow  who  worked  in 
a  butcher  shop  in  the  vicinity,  and  after  the  death 
of  my  unfortunate  friend  I  found  more  distraction 
in  his  company  than  in  that  of  my  companions,  who 
seemed  to  have  no  interest  in  any  thing  but  farming. 
After  I  had  finished  my  supper  I  usually  rode  over 
to  where  he  lived,  and,  tying  my  horse  to  a  fence 
we  strolled  about  together  for  hours. 

Young  men,  full  of  life  and  animal  spirits,  are 
always  ripe  for  fun,  and  we  were  no  exception  to 
the  rule.  In  our  endeavors  to  amuse  ourselves  we 
played  many  foolish,  but  at  the  same  time  innocent, 
harmless  tricks,  such  as  changing  the  sign  of  a  doc 
tor  or  lawyer  for  that  of  a  midwife,  hanging  an  old 
coat  or  empty  tin  can  on  a  barber's  pole,  or  sticking 
a  shaved  pigtail  into  some  one's  keyhole. 

One  evening  my  young  friend  had  a  whole 
package  of  neatly  dressed  pigtails,  when  we  started 
upon  our  nocturnal  pilgrimage.  We  were  busy  try 
ing  to  squeeze  one  as  tightly  as  possible  into  the 
keyhole  of  a  house  door,  when  suddenly  several 
men  pounced  upon  us,  and  gave  us  such  a  trounc 
ing  that  I  shall  never  forget  it.  Defense  was  out  of 
the  question,  and  we  were  only  too  glad  when  we 
could  escape,  avoiding  further  punishment. 

I  jumped  on  my  horse  and  galloped  back  to 
the  farm.  On  taking  stock  of  my  injuries  I  found 


TRAVEL,    EtTC.  131 

I  had  a  swollen  nose,  a  split  lip,  a  scratched  face, 
and  a  pair  of  black  eyes,  out  of  which  for  the  next 
few  days  I  could  hardly  see.  At  the  farm,  of  course, 
every  one  was  anxious  to  know  how  I  could  have 
got  myself  into  such  a  battered  condition,  and, 
ashamed  to  tell  the  truth,  I  tried  to  make  them 
believe  that  it  was  the  result  of  a  fall  from  my  horse. 
The  next  evening  I  rode  over  to  see  my  friend, 
whose  face,  too,  looked  like  a  jelly.  We  joked  and 
laughed  over  our  last  night's  experience,  but  came 
to  the  conclusion  to  cease  for  the  future  those  fool 
ish  boys'  tricks,  which  might  easily  have  got  us 
into  much  more  serious  trouble.  A  good  sound 
thrashing  had  brought  us  to  o.ur  senses  in  time, 
and  upon  calmly  thinking  the  matter  over  we  had 
to  admit,  that  under  similar  circumstances,  had  we 
been  in  their  places,  we  would  have  pursued  the 
same  course  of  action  as  the  men  who  had  beaten 
us  the  night  before. 


CHAPTER  XI 

At  length  I  grew  tired  of  farming,  and  as  my 
friend,  about  the  same  time,  grew  tired  of  his  way 
of  life,  we  agreed  to  leave  our  places  and  try  our 
luck  for  a  while  in  the  gold  producing  region  of  the 
Sierra  Nevada. 

The  farmer  paid  me  my  wages.  I  took  leave 
of  him,  his  family  and  my  companions,  and  in 
company  with  my  friend,  the  ex-butcher,  set  out 
for  my  northern  destination.  In  Sacramento  we 
rested  for  a  few  days,  provided  ourselves  with 
tools  and  provisions,  and  pursued  our  way  into 
the  mountains. 

The  district  in  and  about  Dutch  Flat,  in  the 
early  days,  was  one  of  the  richest  gold-producing 
placer  diggings  in  California,  but  since  then  it  has 
dwindled  in  importance,  and,  as  the  old  pioneer 
miners  say,  was  at  the  time  of  our  arrival  scarcely 
a  shadow  in  comparison  to  former  years.  Quartz 
and  hydraulic  mining  have  replaced  this  primitive 
fashion  of  gold  producing,  and  left  but  little  chance 
to  a  poor  fellow  who  comes  with  his  shovel,  pick 
axe,  and  prospecting  pans  to  dig  and  wash  the 
ground. 

Still  the  sight  was  grand  and  inspirating.  On 
the  river,  on  the  forks,  and  on  the  artificial  ditches 
the  greatest  activity  prevailed  from  morning  to 

(132) 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  133 

night,  and  for  miles  and  miles  canvas  tents  and  log 
cabins  could  be  seen  standing  thickly  together. 

Gold  was  the  only  attraction,  the  only  motive 
power  that  held  those  people,  composed  of  almost 
every  nationality  in  the  world,  together.  They  were 
so  strange  to  one  another's  ways,  so  different  in 
their  ideas,  that,  without  this  momentary  expecta 
tion  of  finding  a  fortune,  the  greater  part  of  them 
would  have  left  long  before,  or,  perhaps,  would 
never  have  come  at  all. 

The  incoming  parties  usually  brought  a  little 
money  and  plenty  of  hope  with  them,  but  the 
departing  crowd  almost  always  left  with  empty 
pockets,  and  with  blighted  hopes  and  expectations. 
New  arrivals  tried  prospecting  for  a  while,  and, 
when  they  thought  they  had  struck  a  convenient 
place,  settled  down  and  commenced  to  shovel  and 
wash  the  dirt.  We  did  the  same,  but  were  always 
disappointed,  when,  instead  of  shining  gold  dust, 
nothing  but  sand  and  gravel  remained  at  the  bottom 
of  our  pans. 

A  few  days  after  our  arrival  we  made  the 
acquaintance  of  an  old  miner,  who,  with  wife  and 
children,  lived  in  a  very  rough-looking  log  cabin.  He 
told  us  that  he  intended  to  sell  out  and  return  to 
San  Francisco  with  what  little  money  he  had.  He 
made  us  a  proposal  to  sell  us  his  claim,  with  every 
thing  pertaining  to  it,  and,  as  his  demands  were 
reasonable,  we  closed  the  bargain,  and  the  follow 
ing  day  commenced  work  on  our  own  account. 


134  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

The  hut  was  of  a  very  primitive  form  ;  it  was 
more  like  a  smoke-house  than  anything  else,  and 
it  took  me  many  days  to  become  accustomed  to 
it.  Built  of  logs  of  trees,  laid  one  on  top  of  the 
other,  and  roofed  with  a  sort  of  shingle,  the  whole 
cabin  measured  twelve  feet  long,  eight  wide  and 
seven  high.  The  cracks  between  the  logs  were 
filled  with  mud,  and  a  small,  square  hole,  through 
which  we  had  to  crawl  on  hands  and  knees,  did  duty 
for  door,  windows  and  ventilator,  all  at  the  same 
time.  In  the  middle  of  the  room  was  the  fire-place, 
where  day  and  night  the  butt  of  a  tree  was  kept 
burning.  With  our  feet  towards  the  fire  and 
wrapped  in  blankets,  we  slept  on  the  ground,  and, 
on  account  of  the  smoke,  usually  with  an  open  door. 

At  night  we  always  kept  revolvers  close  at 
hand,  but  never  found  occasion  for  using  them. 
Theft  was  a  very  rare  crime  in  the  camp.  Any  one, 
who  was  dishonest  enough  to  steal,  knew  exactly 
what  punishment  awaited  him.  The  fear  of  being 
shot  down,  strung  to  a  limb  of  a  tree,  or  at  least, 
of  receiving  a  terrible  beating,  took  away  all  the 
appetite  for  other's  goods. 

But,  instead  of  the  expected  thieves,  a  wander 
ing  pole-cat  often  came  sneaking  in.  Of  all  the 
vermin,  reptiles  or  quadrupeds  I  have  found  in  the 
interior  of  countries,  the  pole-cat  was  always  the 
most  disagreeable  to  me.  The  odor  which  these 
animals  exhale  is  dreadful,  and  even  days  after  one 
had  paid  us  a  visit  the  nauseous  stench  remained. 


TRAVEL,    ETC. 


135 


After  working  for  several  months,  my  desire  for 
new  sights,  became  so  strong  that  I  could  withstand 
it  no  longer  and  had  to  go.  I  tried  to  persuade 
my  partner  to  accompany  me  to  San  Francisco, 
where  we  would  make  plans  for  the  future,  but  he 
would  not.  Money  had  greater  attractions  for  him 
than  for  me,  and  he  preferred  to  remain  where  we 
both  had  been  very  fortunate.  We  divided  our  dust 
and  squared  our  accounts,  then  wishing  him  further 
prosperity,  I  left. 


CHAPTER  XII 

In  Sacramento  I  changed  my  gold  dust  for 
solid  coin,  and  found  myself  richer  than  ever  in  my 
life  before.  After  a  short  stay  in  the  capital  I  took 
passage  on  one  of  the  beautiful  river  steamers  to 
San  Francisco,  a  distance  of  a  little  over  a  hundred 
miles. 

During  later  years  I  have  seen  the  river  and 
lake  steamers  of  almost  every  country  in  Europe, 
and  must  say  that  they  are  simply  cattle  and  freight 
carriers  in  comparison  to  those  two,  three  and  four- 
decked  floating  palaces  that  ply  by  the  thousands  on 
the  rivers  and  lakes  of  the  American  Union. 
Europeans  who  do  not  believe  this  statement  have 
only  to  visit  America,  or  those  other  countries 
where  the  elegant  and  comfortable  American  river 
boats  have  also  been  introduced. 

In  San  Francisco  I  became  acquainted  with 
several  young  men,  some  of  whom  had  lived  in 
Nicaragua.  They  told  me  that  they  intended  going 
back  there,  starting  the  business  of  cotton  growing, 
as  a  great  part  of  the  country  was  well  adapted  to 
this  crop.  The  idea  was  rather  romantic,  and,  per 
haps,  for  that  reason  I  felt  a  desire  to  accompany 
them.  After  much  deliberation  we  decided  to  form 
a  co-partnership,  and  to  carry  on  our  undertaking 
for  joint  account.  We  were  eight  in  number,  all 

(136) 


TEA  VEL,    ETC.  137 

industrious  young  fellows,  full  of  love  of  adventure, 
and  of  different  trades  and  nationalities.  Each  one 
of  us  had  at  least  one  thousand  dollars  in  cash  at 
his  disposal,  so  that,  as  far  as  the  important  ques 
tion  of  money  was  concerned,  we  had  no  reason  to 
worry. 

Provided  with  provisions,  tools,  agricultural 
implements,  seeds,  medicines  and  other  necessaries, 
we  sailed  from  San  Francisco  for  San  Juan  del  Sur. 
Immediately  upon  our  arrival  there  we  purchased 
horses  and  pack  mules,  and  as  soon  as  we  had  our 
arrangements  completed  started  for  the  interior. 
On  the  east  side  of  the  Lake  of  Nicaragua,  in  a  val 
ley,  most  charmingly  situated,  we  decided  to  make 
our  future  home. 

While  some  of  our  party  rode  to  the  nearest 
settlement  to  obtain  information  and  arrange  some 
business  matters,  the  rest  of  us  settled  down  to  take 
life  as  comfortable  as  possible  until  they  returned. 
Receiving  favorable  news  we  went  to  work  at  once, 
building  huts  and  barns,  chopping  down  and  burn 
ing  trees  and  underbrush,  plowing,  planting  and 
sowing,  buying  cows,  hogs  and  poultry,  and  trans 
formed  the  place  within  a  few  months  from  a  virgin 
valley  into  a  bustling  scene  of  activity  and  life. 

Very  probably  we  would  have  succeeded  in  our 
undertaking  had  not  the  climate  set  at  naught  all 
our  calculations.  Obstacles  and  difficulties  that  we 
never  dreamed  existed  in  this  country  presented 
themselves  from  the  very  moment  our  project  was 


138  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

put  to  the  test.  We  had  forgotten  to  take  the  fact  into 
consideration  that  people  bred  and  reared  in  a  tem 
perate  climate  were  not  adapted  to  the  heat  and 
miasma  of  the  tropics,  more  particularly  when  the 
exposure  was  augmented  by  arduous  labor  in  the 
fields.  Such  kind  of  work  must  be  left  to  natives, 
or  to  those  who  have  by  long  residence  become  ac 
customed  and  acclimated.  The  heat  and  the 
miasmatic  exhalation  from  the  swamps  soon  sapped 
our  health  and  frustrated  our  hopes. 

Every  one  of  our  number,  sooner  or  later,  suf 
fered  from  the  attack  of  the  Terciana,  a  fever 
resembling  the  ague  of  northern  countries.  It  was 
weakening  and  depressing,  and  reduced  us  to  mere 
skeletons.  Our  eyes  sunk  in  our  heads,  our  cheek 
and  frontal  bones,  bare  of  flesh,  stuck  out  and  our 
skins  took  on  the  color  of  a  dead  Chinaman.  We 
became  utterly  devoid  of  energy,  and  lay  about  in 
our  huts  or  in  the  shade  of  the  adjacent  trees,  list 
lessly  indolent  and  careless  of  everything,  even  of 
life  itself. 

Of  all  the  drugs  we  had,  quinine  was  the  only 
one  that  relieved  us  at  all.  We  used  it  in  such 
quantities  and  so  constantly  that  we  grew  to  feel 
that  it  was  absolutely  indispensible  to  us,  and  con 
sequently  our  stock  of  it  decreased  rapidly. 

In  spite  of  our  many  troubles,  we  still  trusted 
that  we  might  in  time  become  acclimated  and  that 
our  project  would  be  ultimately  successful,  but 
finally  the  disease  brought  on  dysentery,  and  when 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  139 

one  of  our  companions,  a  few  days  later  died,  we 
at  once  decided  to  return  to  California. 

Our  young  friend  who  met  such  an  untimely 
end  was  an  American,  from  Ohio,  scarcely  twenty 
years  of  age.  We  buried  him  in  the  shadow  of  a 
group  of  palms,  under  which  in  life  had  been  his 
favorite  seat. 

After  this  sad  duty  we  packed  our  most  valu 
able  chattels  on  our  mules  and  left  the  field  of  our 
dissipated  aspirations.  Some  of  us  wrere  so  weak 
and  faint  from  the  effects  of  the  fever  that  we  could 
scarcely  keep  our  seats  in  the  saddle. 

The  serious  condition  of  one  of  our  party 
forced  us  to  take  a  day's  rest  before  crossing  the 
lake.  We  cared  for  him  to  the  best  of  our  abil 
ity,  and  did  all  we  could  to  check  the  course  of  his 
disease,  but  unfortunately  our  efforts  were  of  no 
avail.  The  little  strength  he  still  had  now  left  him 
entirely.  Dysentery,  accompanied  by  fever,  and 
at  times  vomiting,  had  such  a  disastrously  weaken 
ing  effect  upon  him  that  during  the  following  morn 
ing  he  also  expired.  We  dug  a  grave  under  the 
very  tree  which  overshadowed  the  poor  fellow's 
death-bed,  and  there  buried  him.  He  was  a  Scotch 
man,  who  but  a  year  before  had  left  his  native  land, 
where  he  had  been  a  law  student.  Impelled  by 
that  dash  of  nomad  that  makes  men  wanderers,  he 
met  his  death  in  this  lonely  land,  far  away  from  all 
who  loved  him. 

A  little  later  we  resumed  our  journey,  and  after 


140  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

a  long  and  tedious  trip  the  rest  of  us,  a  most  pitiful 
looking  lot,  reached  the  coast — the  same  point  from 
which  some  six  months  ago  eight  young,  strong  and 
healthy  men,  full  of  hope  and  determination,  had 
started.  At  San  Juan  we  had  to  wait  for  a  steamer, 
and  during  this  delay  we  sold  everything  we  could 
get  a  decent  offer  for ;  the  rest  we  took  back  to 
California. 

The  sight  of  the  Pacific,  rolling  its  long  and 
gentle  swells  at  our  feet,  inspired  us  with  new  life 
and  spirit,  and  we  gained  strength  from  the  day  we 
again  saw  the  ocean. 

Ten  days  later  we  landed  in  San  Francisco  once 
more,  where  we  intended  to  recuperate  for  a  while 
from  our  late  hardships.  The  wonderful  climate  of 
California,  which  we  could  now  appreciate  far  more 
than  ever  before,  soon  restored  us,  and  in  a  short 
time  we  had  regained  our  normal  mental  and  phys 
ical  condition. 


CHAPTER    XIII 

As  the  love  of  life  returned  to  me  and  the 
charms  of  the  world  regained  their  former  hold,  I 
again  began  to  plan  for  my  future. 

With  one  of  my  late  partners,  a  young  medical 
student  from  Illinois,  I  strolled  through  the  differ 
ent  markets  of  San  Francisco  one  day.  The  brisk 
activity  which  prevailed  there  made  a  favorable  im 
pression  upon  us,  and  prompted  the  idea  of  going 
into  business  as  fruit  and  vegetable  dealers.  We 
spoke  to  different  people  in  the  business,  with  the 
view  of  buying  them  out,  and  found  at  length  a 
Frenchman  who  wished  to  sell  and  return  to  his 
native  land.  He  made  us  a  proposition  to  buy  his 
business,  and  as  his  terms  were  agreeable  we  did  so, 
but  with  the  condition  that  for  a  few  days  he  was  to 
be  our  adviser  in  chief  and  to  acquaint  us  with  the 
secrets  of  the  trade. 

We  dealt  in  everything  in  the  line  of  fruits  and 
vegetables.  Early  in  the  morning  we  left  our  board 
ing-house,  made  our  purchases  and  repaired  to  our 
market  stall.  One  of  us  remained  there  during  the 
day,  while  the  other  attended  to  the  outside  busi 
ness.  We  changed  watches  or  shifts  every  day  ;  if 
I  stayed  at  the  stall  to-day  then  my  partner  stayed 
to-morrow,  and  so  on.  People  came  and  went, 
looked  at  this  and  that,  bought  or  asked  prices,  and 

(141) 


142  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

kept  us  busy  all  day  long.  We  retailed  our  mer 
chandise  at  a  profit  of  from  twenty-five  to  more 
than  one  hundred  per  cent,  and  when  closing  our 
stand  for  the  day  and  making  up  our  accounts  we 
were  usually  well  satisfied  with  the  result. 

The  outside  business  demanded  a  little  extra 
work,  but  it  had  the  advantage  of  higher  profits. 
We  had  a  good  many  first-class  customers,  living  all 
over  the  city,  who  traded  regularly  with  us.  Every 
morning  after  we  had  made  the  necessary  purchases 
and  fitted  up  our  stand  in  a  proper  shape,  it  took  us 
a  few  hours  to  pack  the  different  goods  together 
with  which  to  fill  the  orders  left  with  us  the  previous 
day.  When  everything  was  ready,  one  of  us  pro 
cured  a  conveyance,  loaded  boxes,  baskets,  bags  and 
packages  into  it,  and  delivered  the  several  orders  to 
our  customers. 

If  while  delivering  the  goods  the  orders  for  the 
next  day  could  not  be  given  to  us  at  once,  we  called 
again  in  the  afternoon.  We  collected  our  bills 
weekly,  and  customers  who  did  not  attend  punctually 
to  obligations  paid  for  their  negligence  in  one  way 
or  another. 

In  the  evening  after  our  day's  work  was  done, 
my  partner  and  myself  strolled  about  in  the  less  aris 
tocratic  parts  of  the  town  and  visited  the  notorious 
gambling  houses,  the  music  and  dance-halls,  the 
lager  beer  saloons,  crowded  with  female  attendants, 
and  the  numerous  other  nocturnal  resorts  with  which 
San  Francisco  was  at  that  time  so  well  provided. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  143 

Gambling  dens,  of  which  one  formerly  situated 
at  the  corner  of  Washington  and  Kearny  Streets, 
was  the  most  notorious  in  the  city,  having  always  a 
great  attraction  for  people  who,  perhaps  have  never 
before  seen  anything  of  the  vice.  Places  of  this 
kind,  where  crimes  of  violence  even  were  not 
uncommon  at  all,  exist  now  only  in  the  memory  of 
older  generations. 

At  the  long  tables,  provided  with  different 
games  of  chance,  sat  the  bank  proprietors  with  their 
assistants.  They  were  usually  wrapped  in  dusters, 
wore  large,  old-style  California  felt  hats,  and  kept 
their  faces  concealed  behind  wire  masks.  A  crowd 
of  people,  in  all  costumes  and  of  all  shades  and 
colors,  came  and  went  continually,  keeping  the 
gambling  tables  surrounded  to  a  very  late  hour. 
For  weak-minded  people  such  places  were  of 
course  dangerous,  and  the  atmosphere,  owing  to 
the  heat  of  the  lamps  and  the  foul  breath  and 
clothing  of  the  reeking  crowd,  more  than  sickening. 

Money  was  the  world,  all  the  rest  of  little  or  no 
account,  and  the  amounts  won  and  lost  were  some 
times  fabulous.  Every  one  was  quiet,  .and  with  the 
exception  of  "  all  done — all  set — all  made — no 
more,"  often  not  a  word  could  be  heard.  The  cards 
were  turned,  the  croupiers  raked  in  and  distributed 
money,  and  the  game  commenced  anew. 

One  evening,  as  we  were  about  to  close  our 
stand,  the  Frenchman  from  whom  we  had  bought  it 
made  his  appearance.  He  told  us  that  he  had 


144 


TRAVEL,    ETC. 


returned  from  France,  where,  on  account  of  the 
despotic  government  of  the  Third  Napoleon,  he 
could  not  stay  any  longer,  and  that  he  was  glad  to 
be  on  free  American  soil  again.  He  asked  us  if  we 
were  willing  to  sell  him  back  his  former  business, 
and  when  leaving  said,  that  he  would  call  and  see 
us  the  following  morning. 

My  partner  as  well  as  myself  had  wished  for 
some  time  to  make  a  change,  and,  therefore,  we  bad 
now  the  best  opportunity  to  get  rid  of  our  business. 
When  our  Frenchman  returned  in  the  morning  we 
soon  came  to  an  understanding,  and  a  few  hours 
later  he  sat  once  more  as  proprietor  in  his  former 
fruit  and  vegetable  stand.  We  stuck  our  money  in 
our  pockets,  took  a  drink  together,  and  parted  good 
friends. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

During  the  following  weeks  I  visited  San 
Mateo,  San  Jose,  and  Monterey,  the  former  Capital 
of  California,  took  a  trip  down  to  Los  Angeles,  and 
then  returned  to  dear  old  San  Francisco. 

About  this  time  the  position  of  "  runner  "  for 
the  hotel  in  which  I  lived  became  vacant.  I  offered 
my  services  to  the  proprietor,  and  was  at  once 
accepted.  I  had  still  a  good  sum  of  money  in  my 
pocket,  and,  therefore,  was  not  forced  to  accept  this 
kind  of  work,  but  did  it  because  I  was  tired  of  doing 
nothing,  and  besides  I  also  wished  to  become 
acquainted  with  the  peculiar  methods  of  this  not 
very  reputable  business. 

I  had  my  board  and  lodging,  and  was  paid  a 
commission  on  every  guest  I  brought  to  the  house, 
according  to  the  length  of  time  they  lived  there,  of 
from  one  to  four  dollars  each. 

The  greater  part  of  the  day  I  was  out  of  doors. 
I  strolled  about  the  streets,  visited  the  saloons,  hung 
around  the  depot,  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  San 
Mateo  trains,  and  when  the  passengers  alighted  did 
my  best  to  persuade  them  to  take  up  their  residence 
in  the  hotel  I  represented.  But  the  most  profitable 
field  of  operation  was  always  on  the  water  front, 
especially  when  the  Sacramento,  Stockton,  and 
other  river  boats  came  in.  The  scenes  that  then 

TKAVEL   10  (145) 


146  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

prevailed  on  the  wharves  and  on  board  the  arriving 
steamers  were  quite  exciting,  and  the  crying  and 
howling  of  those  who  were  striving  to  recommend 
their  houses,  sometimes  almost  deafening. 

Most  hotels,  and  boarding  and  lodging-houses 
had  their  runners,  of  whom  a  good  many  had  crim 
inal  faces  of  the  worse  type.  They  wore  badges 
with  the  names  of  the  hotels  around  their  hats  or 
caps,  and  advertised  themselves  by  cards,  and  with 
their  bold  and  insolent  manners. 

Heavy,  but  very  comfortable  hotel  coaches, 
resting,  instead  of  springs,  on  broad  leather  belts, 
were  close  at  hand,  and  ready  to  take  in  baggage 
and  passengers. 

Scarcely  had  a  steamer  tied  to  the  wharf  when 
the  hordes  of  runners  hastened  on  board,  shouting 
the  names  of  the  houses  they  represented.  They 
rushed  about  the  vessel  as  if  they  were  the  owners 
of  it,  and  used  every  effort,  even  resorting  to  per 
sonal  violence  to  induce  passengers  to  go  to  their 
hotels. 

The  audacity  and  unblushing  effrontery  of 
these  fellows  were  astonishing,  and  a  constant  sur 
prise  to  me.  Sometimes  they  grasped  astonished 
men  and  women  by  the  arms  and  clothing,  and 
hurried  them  half-resisting  along  ;  at  others, 
without  being  ordered  to,  they  grabbed  hold  of 
satchels  and  hand-bags,  and,  in  some  cases,  picked 
up  and  carried  off  small  children  to  their  respective 
coaches,  leaving  the  owners  to  follow  at  their  leis- 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  147 

ure.  People  confused  by  the  noise  and  audacity  of 
these  men,  were  frequently  carried  to  hotels  that 
were  most  undesirable  places  of  residence,  and 
which  they  found  it  impossible  to  remain  in. 

Of  later  years  this  particular  nuisance  has  been 
abated  somewhat.  Runners  are  allowed  only  at  the 
entrance  to  the  ferries,  where  at  times  they  still 
make  noise  enough,  but  are  not  allowed  to  storm 
and  carry  by  assault,  ships  and  passengers,  after  the 
style  of  Chinese  pirates. 

From  the  very  first  I  discovered  that  I  was  not 
fitted  for  this  peculiar  business.  I  often  tried  to 
follow  the  example  of  my  self-confident  and  pushing 
rivals,  but  it  was  impossible.  I  saw  that  I  could  not 
compete  with  them,  that  from  day  to  day  I  lost 
ground, that  the  proprietor  could  neither  be  pleased 
nor  satisfied  with  my  services,  and,  therefore, 
decided  to  give  it  up,  before,  perhaps  he  might 
discharge  me. 

Of  all  the  many  different  occupations  I  have 
followed  in  my  life,  that  of  runner  was  the  most 
detestable  to  me,  and  the  only  one  in  which  my 
abilities  did  not  bring  me  success.  Nature  has  not 
supplied  me  with  the  necessary  amount  of  "cheek" 
and  brazen  impudence,  which  is  the  prime  qualifica 
tion  for  such  a  business. 

One  day  I  spoke  to  the  hotel  proprietor  about 
the  matter,  and  asked  him  to  be  allowed  to  change 
occupations  with  the  dishwasher,  who  had  been  a 
runner  for  the  house  before.  Neither  he  nor  the 


148  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

dishwasher  objecting,  the  change  was  made  that 
very  day. 

While  working  as  waiter  in  Oregon  I  found 
opportunity  enough  to  study  the  several  duties 
required  of  a  kitchen  boy,  and  consequently  was 
not  without  experience  in  my  new  line  of  work.  I 
was  the  assistant,  and  often  right-hand  man  to  our 
cook,  who,  at  times,  was  inclined  to  be  rather  lazy. 

In  the  morning,  between  four  and  five,  I  arose, 
built  the  fire,  made  the  coffee,  cut  and  dressed 
steaks,  chops,  and  bacon,  placed  potatoes,  hash  and 
other  things  in  the  oven  and  on  the  range,  where 
upon  I  enjoyed  a  smoke,  and  with  it  the  comfort  of 
a  cup  of  coffee.  The  chambermaids,  who  generally 
rose  earlier  than  the  male  servants,  and  who  never 
refused  a  good  cup  of  coffee  early  in  the  morning, 
most  always  honored  me  with  their  company. 

At  six  o'clock  the  breakfast  bell  rang.  The 
boarders  appeared  in  the  dining-room,  and  after 
their  meal  went  to  work.  At  eight  o'clock  all  work 
connected  with  breakfast  was  finished  ;  the  waiters 
closed  the  dining-room,  and  I  my  kitchen.  During 
the  following  hours  I  was  kept  busy  washing  dishes, 
pots,  pans  and  skillets,  and  in  helping  the  cook  pre 
pare  dinner.  From  twelve  to  two  o'clock  dinner 
was  served.  The  quality 'and  the  number  of  dishes 
served  were  about  the  same  as  at  the  hotel  in  Port 
land. 

After  dinner  more  or  less  the  same  work  was 
to  be  done  over  again,  and  likewise  after  supper, 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  149 

which  was  served  from  six  to  eight  o'clock  in  the 
evening.  The  boarders  were  usually  seated  at  the 
table  at  the  first  bell-call,  so  that  by  seven  o'clock 
the  dining-room  was  almost  empty.  I  at  once  began 
my  work  of  cleaning  the  kitchen,  peeling  potatoes, 
chopping  corned  beef,  onions,  and  other  vegetables 
together  for  hash,  making  preparations  for  the  fol 
lowing  day,  and  generally  by  nine  o'clock  I  had 
finished  my  day's  work,  and  could  do  then  as  I 
pleased. 

Behind  the  kitchen  of  the  hotel,  in  a  yard, 
stood  a  one-story  frame  house.  Below  were  store 
rooms  and  stables,  and  on  the  upper  floor  the 
sleeping  apartments  of  all  the  male  servants. 

The  cook  deciding  to  leave,  the  proprietor 
asked  me  if  I  could  fill-  the  position,  and,  feeling 
that  I  was  competent,  answered  in  the  affirmative, 
whereupon  I  was  promoted  accordingly.  A  Count, 
a  few  years  older  than  myself,  was  assigned  to  me 
as  dishwasher,  who,  as  it  appeared,  had  never  in 
his  life  before  stuck  his  nose  inside  a  kitchen  door. 

In  the  veins  of  this  .young  fellow  ran  blue, 
aristocratic  blood.  According  to  his  story  he  had 
been  an  officer  in  the  Prussian  Garde  du  Corps,  and 
left  his  fatherland  on  account  of  a  duel  which  he 
had  fought  with  a  brother  of  his  intended  bride. 
Whether  true  or  not,  his  story  had  not  the  slightest 
interest  for  us.  We  wanted  him  to  do  his  work,  and 
did  not  care  whether  he  had  left  his  country  in  con 
sequence  of  love  affairs,  debts,  or  anything  else. 


150  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

Experience,  however,  has  taught  me  that  the 
greater  number  of  titled  personages  coining  to  this 
country  from  the  fatherland  do  so  in  order  to 
escape  creditors.  A  title-bearer,  with  debts  more 
numerous  than  the  hairs  of  his  head,  makes,  even 
on  brainless  people,  a  bad  impression,  and  therefore 
it  is  to  the  interest  of  these  noblemen  to  invent 
tales  of  romantic  love  affairs  with  duel  accompani 
ment. 

From  Uew  York  our  Count  found  his  way  to 
San  Francisco,  where  he  lived  in  our  hotel  upon 
what  money  he  brought'  along  with  him.  In  a  few 
weeks  it  was  gone,  and  he  could  not  even  pay  his 
hotel  bill.  In  spite  of  his  presuming,  overbearing 
manner,  which  was  charged  to  him  simply  as  igno 
rance,  the  proprietor  felt  sorry  for  him,  and  tried  to 
give  him  a  chance  to  earn  a  living  within  his  house. 

Of  all  the  employes  in  the  hotel  we  were  the 
only  two  Germans,  and  I  must  say  that  I  did  not 
feel  very  much  flattered  to  call  such  a  green,  stupid 
and  stuck-up  fellow  my  countryman. 

I  had  to  assist  him  in  the  very  simplest  duties; 
I  had  to  tell  him  the  same  thing  over  every  day, 
and  then  he  was  not  able  to  do  it  by  himself.  When 
he  peeled  potatoes  he  cut  the  greater  part  of  the 
vegetable  away;  when  he  washed  and  dried  plates 
and  dishes  his  clumsiness  invariably  resulted  in 
breaking  something  ;  and  when  he  built  a  fire  or 
swept  the  floor  the  whole  kitchen  was  a  cloud  of 
smoke  or  dust. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  151 

I  took  considerable  work  off  his  hands,  as  I 
preferred  to  do  it  myself  to  having  it  done  bung- 
lingly,  slowly,  and  all  wrong.  If,  while  a  dish 
washer,  I  had  not  been  of  more  assistance  to  the 
cook  than  this  Count  was  to  me,  I  am  sure  he  would 
have  driven  me  out  of  his  kitchen  within  the  first 
twenty-four  hours. 

One  of  the  waiters,  a  bright  young  fellow  from 
Boston,  could  not  agree  with  the  Count  at  all.  They 
quarreled  and  fought,  and  were  continually  on  the 
warpath.  Sometimes  the  waiter  told  him  that  a 
free  American  would  be  ashamed  to  give  himself 
such  a  nick-name,  which  smelled  of  decay  and  cor 
ruption,  and  which  could  be  gained  only  by  sneak 
ing,  by  humilating  one's  self  and  staining  one's 
honor,  and  by  other  equally  contemptible  courses. 
At  other  times  he  would  tell  him  that  such  a  stupid, 
lazy  fellow  as  he,  who  only  understood  how  to 
harass  and  torture  poor  defenseless  soldiers,  would 
in  this  country  simply  starve  to  death,  and  that  the 
best  thing  he  could  do  was  to  take  a  pistol  and  blow 
his  brains  out  ;  but  for  such  action  he  was,  in  spite 
of  his  noble  blood,  still  too  great  a  coward. 

Compliments  of  this  kind,  which  were  in  fact 
nothing  less  than  the  plain,  unvarnished  truth, 
brought  our  noble  Count  at  times  to  his  senses. 

The  wall  at  the  side  of  his  bed  was  decorated 
with  photographs,  pictures  and  trophies  of  his  glori 
ous  past,  and  in  order  to  give  himself  an  air  of 
greater  importance,  he  was  continually  relating  the 


152  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

history  of  his  life  until  he  became  so  annoying  that 
we  were  compelled  to  stop  him.  When  he  but 
opened  his  mouth  we  knew  beforehand  what  he 
was  going  to  say — the  foolish,  self-glorifying  conver 
sation  so  popular  among  these  vain  and  conceited 
German  military  officers. 

I  told  him  often  that  for  his  own  good  he  had 
better  forget  the  past,  and  begin  a  new  life  in  this 
hospitable  country,  peopled  as  it  was  by  practical 
men.  By  indolence  he  surely  would  not  advejice 
himself,  and  by  boasting  and  bragging  of  his  noble 
birth  he  would  only  arouse  the  scorn  and  contempt 
of  thoughtful,  intelligent  people. 

But  my  advice  was  of  no  avail.  His  pride  of 
ancestry,  and  his  aristocratic  arrogance,  which  he 
had  become  imbued  with  from  his  very  mother's 
milk,  could  not  be  forgotten. 

On  the  parade  ground,  as  torturer  of  helpless 
German  soldiers  ;  in  Berlin,  Unter  den  Linden,  as  a 
male  street- walker,  he  might  have  been  in  his  place — 
but  here  in  America,  and  especially  in  our  kitchen 
in  California,  he  was  of  no  account  whatever. 

One  morning  the  proprietor  appeared  in  the 
kitchen  and  told  my  assistant  that  he  had  no  fur 
ther  use  for  such  a  lazy,  stupid  fellow,  who  was  but 
a  burden  and  a  nuisance  to  every  one.  He  ordered 
him  to  get  his  things  together,  and  gave  our  "King 
William,"  as  we  called  him,  his  passport. 

What  became  of  him  eventually  I  never  learned. 
I  only  know  that  during  the  following  weeks,  reg- 


TRAVEL,    ETC. 


153 


ularly  after  dark,  he  came  sneaking  to  our  kitchen 
door,  begging  us  to  give  him  a  loaf  of  bread,  or  any 
thing  that  was  left  from  the  table.  We  all,  even  his 
enemy,  the  waiter,  felt  pity  for  him,  and  out  of  com 
passion  always  filled  his  little  basket,  at  times 
twenty-five  or  fifty  cents  was  given  him,  and  then 
he  disappeared  for  the  next  twenty-four  hours. 


CHAPTER  XV 

» 

A  few  months  later  I  gave  up  my  position  as 
cook,  but  remained  for  a  short  time  boarding  in  the 
hotel.  I  then  started  out  into  the  world  again,  and 
although  more  than  twenty-five  years  have  passed 
since  then,  I  still  look  back  with  pleasure  to  the 
days  I  spent  in  the  kitchen. 

I  had  remained  much  longer  in  California 
than  I  at  first  intended.  The  charming  surround 
ings,  and  glorious  climate  were  so  tempting  that  I 
postponed  from  time  to  time  my  intention  of  join 
ing  the  Mexican  army. 

My  republican  ideas,  my  love  of  freedom  and 
liberty,  my  enthusiasm  for  equality  and  the  natural 
rights  of  men,  were  not  strongly  developed  in  those 
days.  My  only  desire  was  to  see  the  world,  and  I 
did  not  realize  that  it  was  a  disgrace  to  fight  for  the 
cause  of  a  hard-hearted,  ambitious  despot,  and  the 
suppression  of  a  free  and  heroic  people.  My  ideas 
have  changed  since  then. 

At  last  I  took  leave  of  my  dearly  beloved  Cali 
fornia,  and  embarked  for  Acapulco  in  Mexico.  This 
city,  the  principal  sea-port  of  the  State  of  Guerrero, 
was  of  considerable  importance  during  the  time 
that  Spanish  tyranny  dominated  most  of  4he  world. 
For  almost  three  centuries  it  was  the  headquarters 
of  all  those  who  carried  on  the  trade  between 

(154) 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  155 

Spain  and  the  Phillippine  Islands,  which  at  that 
time  were  under  the  rule  of  the  viceroy  of  Mexico. 
From  here  the  celebrated  Spanish  Naos  sailed  every 
year  for  Manila,  and  returned  within  the  following 
twelve  months  laden  with  treasure,  products  of  the 
Philippines  and  other  goods  of  value  from  Asiatic 
countries. 

In  consequence  of  the  war,  begun  upon  so 
frivolous  a  pretext  by  the  third  Napoleon,  Acapulco 
renewed  her  activity  in  some  small  degree.  In  the 
beginning  of  the  campaign  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
French,  and  on  account  of  its  strategic  importance, 
Maximilian's  party  strained  every  nerve  to  keep 
possession  of  the  place  as  long  as  possible. 

Upon  my  arrival  at  Acapulco,  I  joined  a  Mex 
ican  cavalry  regiment,  formed  principally  of  Mex 
icans,  and  commanded  by  Mexican  officers.  It  was 
under  orders  to  escort  a  transport  of  money,  arms 
and  merchandise  to  the  Capital.  The  distance  from 
Acapulco  to  the  City  of  Mexico,  by  way  of  Chil- 
pantzingo,  Mescala  and  Cuernavaca,  is  a  little  over 
ninety  leguas,  and  we  thought  to  reach  it  within  a 
week. 

Shortly  after  leaving  Acapulco  I  began  to  rea 
lize  the  difficulties,  besetting  the  path  of  the 
newly  established  dynasty.  With  few  exceptions 
the  Mexicans  were  opposed  to  the  usurper's  govern 
ment  ;  they  were  republican  in  feeling  almost  to  a 
man,  and  could  only  be  intimidated  for  a  time  by 
French  bayonets.  As  soon  as  this  argument  was 


156  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

removed  or  weakened,  the  people  arose  in  their 
might  and  strained  every  nerve  to  throw  off  the 
yoke  of  the  foreign  intruder. 

Guerrilleros,  under  the  command  of  celebrated 
heroes  of  liberty,  were  on  the  move  in  every  direc 
tion,  and  held  the  greater  portion  of  the  country  in 
their  hands.  They  never  yielded  save  to  necessity 
and  the  overpowering  force  of  numbers.  When 
opposed  by  superior  forces,  they  retreated  iato  the 
caves  and  hiding  places  of  their  forests  and  moun 
tains,  reappearing  when  the  enemy  had  passed, 
trying  to  inspire  their  countrymen  anew  with 
enthusiasm  for  the  noble  cause  of  liberty. 

We  had  scarcely  left  the  coast  wrhen  these  wan 
dering  Guerrilleros  began  to  annoy  us.  They  were 
continually  at  our  heels ;  they  watched  all  our 
movements  ;  they  took  advantage  of  every  oppor 
tunity  to  lessen  our  strength  ;  they  surprised  us 
during  the  day  as  well  as  during  the  night,  and  we 
were  never  safe  from  their  attacks  in  spite  of  all  our 
caution.  Sometimes  they  fired  into  us  from  an 
ambush,  where  we  could  not  even  see  them  ;  some 
times  they  charged  upon  us  unexpectedly,  and 
retreated  as  suddenly  and  mysteriously  as  they  had 
come.  The  van  and  rear  guards  of  our  transport 
suffered  most,  and  we  lost  men,  both  killed  and 
wounded  every  day. 

On  the  evening  of  the  third  day  of  our  march, 
the  van-guard  was  suddenly  attacked  by  a  body  of 
cavalry,  and  at  the  same  time  a  lively  musketry 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  157 

fire  opened  upon  us  from  an  ambuscade.  The 
command  to  attack  was  given  ;  we  formed,  drew  our 
swords,  and  charged  the  enemy.  The  struggle 
which  followed,  and  out  of  which  our  party  emerged 
victorious,  must  have  been  a  hard  and  desperate 
one.  I  know  very  little  of  it,  as  a  wound  on  my 
head  brought  me  to  the  ground  stunned,  and  left  me 
but  a  slight  recollection  of  what  had  happened  and 
how  the  horses  galloping  over  me,  bruised  and 
abraided  my  body  with  their  hoofs. 

When  I  recovered  my  senses,  my  first  thought 
was  that  I  had  become  blind.  A  stiffened  blood 
crust  covered  my  face  and  kept  my  eyes  closed,  but 
in  my  anxiety  I  moistened  them  with  saliva,  and 
was  overjoyed  that  my  fears  were  unfounded. 

It  was  midnight,  the  weather  cold  and  disa 
greeable,  with  a  sharp,  cutting  wind  whistling 
through  the  branches  of  the  trees.  The  twinkling 
of  a  few  stars  illuminated  the  locality  but  faintly, 
and  the  groans  and  cries  of  pain  from  dying  and 
wounded  men  and  horses  fell  on  my  ears  from  all 
sides.  I  tried  to  rise,  but  too  weak  to  do  so,  fell 
back  and  lost  consciousness  again. 

When  I  reopened  my  eyes  the  sun  stood  high 
in  the  heavens.  I  pulled  myself  together,  rose  to 
my  feet,  and  surveyed  with  terror  our  battle-field. 
Friend  and  foe  had  forgotten  animosity  and  lay 
peacefully  together,  most  of  them  dead,  and  the 
few  alive  either  in  the  last  struggle  of  agony,  or 
cursing  the  originator  of  this  horrible  war. 


158  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

Supporting  myself  with  the  scabbard  of  my 
sabre,  I  limped  about  the  field  of  battle  and  death, 
and  discovered  at  a  little  distance  a  young  Mexican, 
an  Alferez,  or  under  lieutenant  of  my  troop  lying 
wounded  on  the  field.  This  poor  fellow  had  been 
shot  through  one  leg,  had  a  sabre  cut  on  his  arm, 
and  had  lost  a  great  quantity  of  blood.  He  was 
lying  between  two  dead  horses,  and  as  he  perceived 
me  a  smile  broke  over  his  poor  wan  face,  and  a 
rather  more  cheerful  expression  took  the  place  of 
utter  hopelessness. 

I  assisted  him  to  his  feet  and  away  from  his 
former  resting  place.  We  dressed  each  other's 
wounds  and  decided  to  return  to  Acapulco  together. 
Arm  in  arm  we  crept  slowly  along,  until  we  reached, 
after  a  tedious  journey,  our  destination. 

At  Acapulco  I  sought  and  obtained  permission 
to  retire  from  the  service.  I  changed  my  uniform 
for  civilians'  clothes,  remained  a  few  days  in  the 
town  and  sailed  on  the  first  steamer  for  Panama. 
The  bracing  sea  breeze,  and  the  abundance  of  excel 
lent  food  on  board  the  Constitution  had  such  a  favor 
able  effect  upon  me  that  I  was  soon  as  well  as  ever. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

Panama,  with  its  beautiful  surrpun dings,  is  a 
perfect  paradise.  The  old  tumble-down  buildings, 
the  massive,  but  ruinous  and  crumbling  fortifica 
tion  walls  remind  one  of  the  time  when  mighty 
Spain  was  the  most  powerful  nation  in  the  world. 
For  a  few  days  I  enjoyed  myself  here,  and  after 
viewing  everything  worth  seeing,  I  began  to  make 
preparations  for  my  trip  across  the  Isthmus. 

The  railroad,  connecting  Aspinwall  and  Pan 
ama,  is  subject  to  no  competition,  and  charged  for 
transportation  over  a  distance  of  not  quite  fifty 
miles  the  exorbitant  sum  of  twenty-five  dollars  in  ( 
gold.  I  was  not  inclined  to  pay  so  much  money  for 
a  three  hours'  ride,  and  besides,  I  wished  to  see  the 
country,  for  which  a  railroad  car  afforded  but  small 
opportunity. 

One  morning,  with  revolver  in  my  belt,  blan 
kets  over  my  shoulder,  a  heavy  walking  stick  in  my 
hand,  I  lighted  my  pipe  and  departed  from  Panama, 
happy  and  contented.  The  road  I  followed  was  the 
one  traveled  by  the  Indians  hundreds  of  years 
before,  and  in  later  times  by  the  Spaniards.  It  was 
about  sixty  miles  in  length,  and  led  over  hills, 
across  rivers,  through  forests  and  valleys,  and 
afforded  the  greatest  variety  and  beauty  of  tropical 
scenery. 


(159) 


160  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

After  a  march  of  four  days,  I  left  this  beauti 
ful  stretch  of  country  behind,  and  found  myself  sur 
rounded  by  swamps  and  morasses  in  the  noisome 
town  of  Colon,  or  Aspinwall.  Life  here  had  110 
attractions  for  me  whatever.  I  would  have  con 
tinued  my  journey  at  once  with  pleasure  had  I  been 
able  to  do  so. 

The  population  of  this  town  was  made  up  of 
the  scum  and  outcasts  of  every  nation  on  earth,  the 
negroes  of  Jamaica  predominating.  These  people 
led  the  most  abandoned  lives,  and  were  slaves  to 
the  lowest  and  basest  passions. 

A  small  American  schooner  was  loading  here 
for  Kingston,  Jamaica.  I  arranged  for  my  passage 
to  that  port  with  the  captain  for  the  sum  of  twenty 
dollars,  and  was  glad  to  leave  Colon,  the  most 
important  seaport  on  the  east  coast  of  Nueva 
Granada,  or  Colombia. 

Our  trip  of  ten  days  across  the  Caribbean  Sea 
offered  very  little  variety.  The  vessel  was  so  small, 
and  her  cabin  and  deck  packed  so  full  of  freight 
that  but  little  room  was  left  to  move  or  walk  about. 
For  the  purpose  of  getting  exercise  I  assisted  the 
sailors  in  their  work,  or  climbed  about  in  the  rig 
ging  and  masts  of  our  miserable  little  tub. 

The  captain,  who  owned  a  share  in  the  vessel 
himself,  belonged  to  that  class  whose  one  ambition 
seems  to  be  the  accumulation  of  money.  It  is  posi 
tive  pain  to  them  to  spend  it.  Contrary  to  the  rule 
of  American  vessels,  the  schooner  was  provisioned 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  161 

in  a  manner  that  amounted  to  stinginess,  and 
besides,  the  skipper  treated  his  men  so  meanly, 
giving  them  scarcely  enough  to  eat,  that  they  were 
always  at  war  with  one  another.' 

As  punishment  for  his  contemptible,  niggardly 
behavior,  some  of  the  men  made  their  way  into  his 
room  one  night  and  gave  him  such  a  frightful  beat 
ing  that  for  days  he  could  not  leave  his  bed.  The 
crew  stuck  together,  and  as  every  one  of  them  repu 
diated  such  a  shameful  deed,  the  perpetrators  were 
never  discovered.  In  addition  to  this,  the  men  took 
advantage  of  every  opportunity  to  creep  into  the 
storeroom,  stealing  everything  they  could  lay 
hands  on. 

Sometimes  I  thought  that  such  a  mean,  'short 
sighted  man  did  not  deserve  pity.  He  himself  was 
the  cause  of  all  his  trouble.  If  he  had  treated  his 
men  fairly  and  justly,  he  would  have  escaped  their 
hatred,  and  pecuniarily  he  would  have  been  far 
better  off. 

The  captain  was  a  Southerner,  a  perfect  fanatic 
on  the  subject  of  secession.  He  spoke  of  the  ques 
tion  in  dispute  between  the  North  and  South  with 
all  the  bitterness  of  a  partisan,  and  when  he  discov 
ered  that  I  w^as  a  Union  man,  and  not  in  sympathy 
with  the  Southern  Confederation,  he  treated  me 
with  marked  contempt. 

My  former  intention  was  to  go  from  Colon  by 
the  nearest  way  to  Cuba.  But  now,  finding  myself 
already  in  the  West  Indies,  new  routes  presented 


TRAVEL    11 


162  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

themselves  to  me,  and  T  decided  to  see  other  lands 
before  proceeding  there. 

After  a  short  sojourn  in  Jamaica,  I  embarked 
as  a  deck  passenger  on  board  the  English  steamer 
Ocean  Queen  for  Puerto  Rico.  As  deck  passenger  I 
was  obliged  to  provide  my  own  food,  and  only  had 
the  freedom  of  a  very  limited  space  at  the  fore  end 
of  the  vessel. 

The  steamer  plied  to  and  from  Central  Ameri 
can  ports,  and  had  many  passengers  for  St.  Thomas 
and  Europe  on  board,  of  whom  the  greater  part 
traveled  in  the  saloon.  In  the  second  cabin,  or 
steerage,  were  comparatively  few,  and  even  these 
looked  down  superciliously  upon  the  four  or  five 
miserable  deck  passengers. 

In  the  morning  I  usually  bought  a  loaf  of 
bread  from  the  baker,  which  I  washed  down  with 
water,  and  it  tasted  better  to  me  than  many  a  lux 
urious  meal  I  have  eaten  since.  Sometimes  I 
assisted  in  the  kitchen,  peeling  potatoes  or  scraping 
turnips  and  carrots  ;  sometimes  I  fetched  water  and 
coal,  for  which  service  I  was  allowed  to  help  myself 
to  some  scraps  that  came  from  the  cabin  tables. 

When  the  nights  were  fine  I  slept  on  deck,  and 
when  not,  I  crawled  under  deck.  My  bed  depended 
upon  circumstances.  Sometimes  it  was  on  cases, 
barrels  or  sacks,  and  sometimes  in  some  out-of-the- 
way  corner.  But  I  had  an  especial  fondness  for  a 
coil  of  rope  for  night  quarters.  I  sat  myself  down 
in  such  a  coil,  sank  gradually  into  it,  doubled  up 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  163 

head  and  feet  together,  like  a  pocket-knife,  and 
slept  as  well,  if  not  better,  than  if  wrapped  in  the 
finest  eiderdown  quilt. 

Among  the  deck  passengers  was  a  young  Ital 
ian,  who  was  returning  with  a  monkey  and  a 
squeaky  organ  from  a  professional  expedition  into 
Central  America.  Judging  by  his  utterly  woe 
begone  appearance  he  had  not  been  very  fortunate 
there,  and  now,  for  the  same  purpose,  he  intended 
to  pay  a  visit  to  the  Island  of  Puerto  Rico. 

Owing  to  his  shabby,  ragged  and  greasy  cloth 
ing,  and  the  awful  odor  of  garlic  emanating  from 
his  breath  and  person,  even  sailors  and  deck  pas 
sengers  kept  at  a  respectable  distance  from  him. 
This  poor  creature  could  not  speak  a  word  of  Eng 
lish,  and  he  and  his  monkey  would  probably  have 
starved  to  death  had  I  not  taken  pity  on  them.  My 
services  were  accepted  in  the  spirit  offered  and  a 
friendship  sprang  up  between  us  which  resulted  in 
our  forming  a  partnership. 

I  had  not  much  money  left,  but  in  comparison 
with  him  I  was  a  Croesus  on  a  small  scale.  I  bound 
myself  to  provide  the  monkey  with  a  uniform  and 
other  articles  necessary  in  his  performances,  and  to 
have  the  old  weather-beaten  organ  repaired  and 
furbished  up.  He  undertook  to  explain  to  me  the 
various  tricks  of  the  monkey,  and  to  familiarize  me 
with  the  organ-grinding  business  generally.  When 
we  arrived  at  San  Juan,  de  Puerto  Kico,  the  capital 
of  the  Island  of  Puerto  Kico,  my  partner  took  the 


164  TRAVEL,   ETC. 

organ  on  his  back,  I  the  monkey  on  my  shoulder, 
and  we  went  ashore. 

In  a  narrow  alley  of  the  town,  in  the  house  of 
a  Spanish  mule-driver,  we  rented  a  small  room  ;  it 
contained  no  furniture  whatever,  hut  dirt  and  filth 
in  abundance.  We  placed  organ  and  monkey  in 
one  corner,  our  other  few  belongings  in  another, 
and  sallied  out  to  take  a  look  at  the  town  and  to 
enjoy  heartily  a  good  Spanish  meal. 

A  few  days  later,  our  mutual  obligations  being 
performed,  everything  was  ready  for  a  start.  But 
before  leaving  for  the  interior  of  the  islaild  we 
decided  to  give  a  few  performances  in  the  city  and 
suburbs,  in  order  to  earn  a  little  money,  and  to  find 
out  how  we  might  strike  the  musical  taste  of  the 
Spaniards. 

We  were  disappointed  from  the  start  to  find 
that  the  Spaniards  were  not  the  people  we  had 
expected  them  to  be ;  they  were  not  favorably 
impressed  either  with  the  clever,  cunning  tricks  of 
our  monkey,  or  in  the  droning  tunes  of  our  rickety, 
wheezy  old  organ.  Scarcely  had  we  commenced 
our  performance  on  the  corner  of  one  of  the  streets 
when  nearly  all  the  windows  and  shutters  of  the 
surrounding  houses  were  closed  with  a  bang  and 
from  those  that  remained  open,  instead  of  the 
expected  coins,  we  were  assailed  with  rotten 
bananas,  oranges,  and  insulting  language. 

Even  the  dogs  in  the  streets  showed  their 
antipathy  for  us.  They  snarled  at  the  organ  and 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  165 

showed  their  teeth  at  the  monkey,  and  with  indrawn 
tails  retreated,  growling  at  us  from  a  distance. 
Very  probably  not  being  accustomed  to  such  a  sight, 
nor  to  the  squeaking  sounds  of  our  instrument,  they 
began,  as  soon  as  it  struck  up,  to  bark  and  howl  in 
such  an  infernal  manner  that  our  monkey  seemed 
to  lose  heart,  and  he  became  so  frightened  that  he 
could  not  understand  the  commands  given  him. 

Children  of  all  shades  and  colors,  usually  stark 
naked,  followed  us  in  great  numbers,  acting  as  our 
body-guard,  but  the  only  encouragement  we 
received  from  them  was  their  good  will.  Unfortu 
nately  they  had  nothing  else  to  give. 

In  the  laborious  work  of  our  business  we  alter 
nated  our  duties,  as  good  comrades  should.  While 
one  of  us  ground  the  old  organ  the  other  had  to 
attend  to  the  monkey.  Held  by  a  cord,  we  made  him 
dance,  jump,  shoot,  go  through  a. drill,  and  when 
he  had  finished  the  tricks  of  his  not  very  extensive 
repertoire,  then  he  was  supposed  to  collect  the 
donations  of  the  kind-hearted  spectators. 

In  the  capital,  which  we  traversed  in  every 
direction,  we  did  a  very  poor  business.  Whether  we, 
our  performances,  or  the  Spaniards  themselves  were 
the  cause  of  it,  was,  of  course,  hard  to  say,  and 
under  the  circumstances  of  little  importance, 
anyhow. 

My  partner  had  an  idea  that  the  Spaniards 
were  rather  behind  the  age,  as  they  did  not  appre 
ciate  our  artistic  exhibition,  and  at  the  same  time 


166  TRAVEL,   ETC. 

he  thought  that  the  colored  people  in  the  interior  of 
the  island  would  have  better  taste,  and  reward  our 
efforts  in  the  way  we  had  every  right  to  expect. 

So  one  morning  we  strapped  our  few  belong 
ings  together,  one  took  the  organ  on  his  back,  the 
other  the  monkey  on  his  shoulder,  and  each  grasp 
ing  a  heavy  walking-stick,  left  San  Juan  de  Puerto 
Rico,  which  had  shown  itself  so  unappreciative. 

Our  intention  was  to  go  by  way  of  Aguadilla, 
Mayaguez,  to  Ponce,  where,  upon  our  arrival,  we 
would  make  plans  for  further  journeys. 

With  our  heavy  burden  on  our  backs,  the  road 
seemed  far  worse  than  it  really  was.  We  crept  along 
so  slowly  that  it  took  us  almost  a  month  to  reach 
Mayaguez,  a  romantically  situated  little  place,  sur 
rounded  by  numbers  of  tamarind  and  mango  trees. 
In  every  village  through  which  we  passed  we  stopped 
a  little  while,  and  gave  young  and  old  the  oppor 
tunity  of  enjoying  a  performance.  We  accepted 
anything  that  was  given  to  us — grateful  even  for 
the  smallest  copper  coin.  Of  course  we  didn't  make 
a  fortune,  but  made  more  than  we,  or  at  least  I,  had 
expected  we  would,  and  I  began  to  believe  that  my 
partner's  former  expectations  had  not  been  too  great 
after  all. 

After  several  days'  performances  in  and  about 
Mayaguez,  a  few  hours  before  our  intended  depart 
ure,  the  cruel  hand  of  destiny  suddenly  fell  upon 
us,  ruined  our  hopes,  destroyed  our  plans,  and 
ended  our  partnership.  We  lived  there  with  an  old 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  167 

mulata,  who  for  a  small  compensation  rented  us 
part  of  her  tumble-down  cottage.  We  slept  on  the 
bare  ground,  our  monkey  on  his  organ  in  one 
corner,  and  we  in  our  blankets  in  the  other. 

The  monkey,  who  answered  to  the  name  of 
Pietro,  was  a  good-sized  beast,  and  by  reason  of  the 
ill  treatment  he  had  received  at  some  time  or  another, 
a  very  vicious  animal.  From  the  beginning  I 
had  treated  him  with  kindness  ;  had  allowed  him 
to  scratch  my  head  at  his  leisure,  and  had  shown 
him  lots  of  other  little  favors.  He  proved  thankful 
for  it,  struck  up  a  great  friendship  with  me,  and 
was  willing  and  obedient  in  every  respect.  With 
his  master,  who  seemed  to  be  jealous  of  our  friend 
ship,  he  was  not  on  such  good  terms.  He  kicked 
and  whipped  the  monkey  upon  the  least  provoca 
tion,  and  sometimes  so  cruelly  that  I  was  obliged 
to  interfere.  The  consequence  was  that  the  monkey 
obeyed  him  only  through  fear ,. chattering  and  show 
ing  his  teeth  whenever  he  could. 

During  the  night  before  our  intended  departure 
I  was  suddenly  awakened  by  the  call,  "Emilio,  la 
scimmia  si  e  sciolta  dalla  catena,  la  scimmia  mi 
morse."  I  jumped  up,  lighted  a  candle  and  crawled 
over  to  my  partner  where  a  bloody  and  shocking 
sight  presented  itself  to  my  eyes.  The  Italian  lay 
lamenting  and  groaning  upon  his  blood-spotted 
blanket,  and  the  monkey,  with  his  bowels  hanging 
out  of  his  body,  dead  at  his  side. 

Our  Pietro,  who  could  manage  to  free  himself 


168 


TRAVEL,    ETC. 


from  his  chain  one  way  or  another,  had  jumped 
suddenly  at  his  master's  throat,  and  scratched  and 
bit  him  so  fiercely  that  in  order  to  save  -his  life  he 
was  forced  to  draw  his  stiletto  and  cut  him  down. 
His  face,  neck  and  arms  were  terribly  lacerated,  and 
out  of  his  left  cheek  the  infuriated  animal  had  torn 
a  large  piece  of  flesh. 

I  fetched  water,  washed  and  laved  his  wounds, 
endeavouring  to  staunch  the  bleeding,  and  remained 
the  rest  of  the  night  at  his  side.  The  following 
morning  I  went  for  a  doctor.  He  came,  dressed  his 
wounds,  and  sent  him  to  the  hospital. 

I  arranged  my  affairs  with  him,  visited  him 
during  the  remaining  days  of  my  stay  very  often, 
and  finally  took  leave  of  him. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

The  Spanish  brig  Carmencita  was  loading  for 
Trinidad  de  Cuba.  I  took  passage  in  her,  and  ten 
days  later  found  myself  on  .the  south  coast  of  this 
rich  and  charming  island. 

On  account  of  a  slave-trader,  having  arrived 
from  the  east  coast  of  Africa  on  the  previ 
ous  day,  a  very  brisk  and  active  scene  presented 
itself  upon  our  arrival  at  Trinidad.  Some  hundred 
unfortunate  creatures  had  already  been  landed,  and 
were  to  be  sold  to  the  highest  bidder. 

Planters,  agents,  brokers,  who  for  this  purpose 
had  come  from  far  and  near,  inspected,  examined 
by  sight  and  touch,  and  appraised  this  human  mer 
chandise  in  exactly  the  same  way  as  butchers  do, 
when  buying  cattle. 

Men,  women  and  children  were  brought  into  a 
sort  of  barn,  where  they  were  washed,  combed, 
brushed  and  furbished  up,  so  as  to  remove  the 
effects  of  a  long  sea  voyage. 

On  the  day  of  the  auction  they  were  led  to  the 
slave  market,  where  they  went  off  like  hot  cakes. 
The  prices  were  in  proportion  to  the  quality  of  the 
merchandise.  For  strong,  powerful  men,  up  to 
fifteen  hundred  dollars  were  paid  ;  for  healthy, 
well-formed  women,  up  to  eight  hundred  dollars, 

(169) 


170  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

and  for  children  according  to  age,  from  one  to  four 
hundred  dollars. 

During  that  sale  there  were  scenes  enacted  that 
would  have  brought  tears  to  the  eyes  of  any  honest- 
hearted  man.  To  me  such  a  spectacle  was  new.  It 
angered  me,  rilled  me  with  rage  and  hatred  against 
those  miserable  wretches,  who,  with  the  lives  of 
their  fellow-creatures  as  goods,  were  plying  such  an 
infamous  trade. 

By  way  of  Cienfuegos  and  Villa  Clara  I  went 
through  the  interior  of  the  Island  to  Sagua  la 
Grande,  where  I  arrived  after  a  very  pleasant  and 
interesting  trip. 

On  the  road,  I  now  and  again  called  upon 
Spanish  and  native  planters,  and  at  one  plantation, 
charmingly  situated  in  a  little  valley,  I  rested  for 
quite  a  number  of  days.  The  proprietor  received 
me  with  Spanish  courtesy,  inviting  me  to  remain  his 
guest  for  a  few  weeks.  But  anxious  to  reach 
Havana,  I  declined  his  invitation  for  a  longer  stay, 
and  left  his  hospitable  home  on  the  morning  of  the 
third  day. 

He  was  one  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  influ 
ential  planters  on  the  Island,  and  on  his  extensive 
plantation  had  more  than  a  thousand  slaves.  Pro 
vided  with  all  the  comforts  of  home,  his  spacious 
residence,  surrounded  by  airy  verandas,  stood  in  the 
midst  of  a  well-kept  flower  garden,  and  at  the  rear 
of  this  the  engine-house,  stables,  barns,  and  the 
negroes'  cottages. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  171 

Engineers,  overseers  or  major-domos,  and  other 
white  men  employed  on  the  plantation,  lived  by 
themselves,  and  had,  excepting  during  business 
hours,  no  intercourse  with  the  negroes  whatever. 

Two  doctors,  wrho,  as  they  said,  were  always 
kept  busy,  lived  with  the  family,  which  consisted  of 
the  planter,  his  wife,  two  sons,  two  grown-up  and 
two  half-grown  daughters.  It  was  the  first  planta 
tion  I  had  seen  conducted  on  such  a  magnificent 
scale,  and  I  must  say  that  it  made  a  strong  impres 
sion  upon  me.  It  was  quite  a  little  world  in  itself, 
in  which  almost  everything  the  heart  might  desire 
was  to  be  found. 

Comparing  plantation  life  in  Cuba  with  that  in 
the  Philippines  proved  very  disparaging  to  the 
latter.  The  Philippines,  so  far  off  the  beaten  track 
of  travel,  were  much  neglected  and  had  but  little 
value  to  the  Spaniards,  whilst  they  held  possession 
of  the  largest  and  wealthiest  portions  of  the  New 
World. 

The  plantations  on  the  Philippine  Archipelago 
are  small,  and  miserably  managed,  while  existence 
on  them  is  arduous  and  wretched.  Even  to-day 
there  is  not  one  hacienda  that  produces  more  than 
twenty-five  thousand  picos,  or  about  fifteen  hundred 
tons  of  sugar  in  a  year. 

During  the  day  I  walked  or  rode  with  some  one 
on  the  plantation  ;  in  the  afternoon  we  drove  in 
comfortable  volantas  about  the  vicinity,  visiting 
friends  of  the  family;  and  in  the  evenings,  after 


172  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

dinner,  dancing,  playing,  and  other  amusements 
went  on. 

The  slaves  amused  themselves,  as  soon  as  their 
day's  work  was  done,  in  a  similar  way.  They  sat  be 
fore  their  clean  and  neat  little  cottages,  laughing  and 
chatting,  or  romped  about  to  their  heart's  content. 

Accustomed  from  childhood  to  hardships,  and 
a  condition  of  servitude,  they  did  not  know  even 
the  meaning  of  liberty.  They  were  happy  because 
contented  with  their  fate,  which,  perhaps,  was  better 
than  might  have  befallen  them  in  their  own  coun 
try.  They  had  no  worries  of  any  kind,  and  if  they 
were  ill,  or  an  accident  happened,  they  were  nursed 
and  cared  for  with  every  attention. 

They  were,  without  doubt,  far  better  off  than  are 
a  good  many  white  slaves  in  Europe,  who  work  from 
early  morning  until  late  at  night,  and  in  spite  of  all 
their  toil  scarcely  keep  themselves  from  starvation. 

My  former  idea  on  the  subject,  that  black  slaves 
are  treated  like  dogs,  has  since  changed  to  a  consid 
erable  extent.  It  is  easy  to  understand  that  a  valu 
able  article  should  naturally  be  taken  better  care  of 
than  a  worthless  one,  if  only  to  avoid  heavy  pecun 
iary  loss. 

If  the  German  soldiers,  who  get,  outside  of 
their  miserable  barrack  food,  a  payment  of  twenty 
pfennige,  or  five  cents,  a  day,  were  treated  half  as 
humanely  as  the  black  slaves  on  the  haciendas  of 
Cuba,  they  might  surely  call  themselves  happy  and 
fortunate. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

From  Sagua  la  Grande  I  went  by  way  of  Car 
denas,  Matanzas,  to  Havana,  where  by  calling  I 
surprised  a  schoolmate  of  mine,  who  held  a  position 
as  clerk  in  a  Spanish  firm.  I  also  met  some  Span 
iards  whom  I  had  known  in  the  Philippines  ;  they 
were  Government  officials,  and  in  the  meantime  had 
been  transferred  from  there  to  the  Island  of  Cuba. 

In  Havana,  which  in  regard  to  personal  com 
fort  is  far,  behind  the  Philippines,  I  rested  fora 
short  time,  during  which  I  discussed  with  my  friend 
plans  for  the  future.  I  spoke  to  him  of  my  experi 
ences  on  the  Philippines  ;  of  the  better  chances  to 
succeed  a  business  man  has  there  ;  of  the  pleasant, 
hospitable  manners  of  its  good-natured  inhabitants, 
and  at  last  persuaded  him  to  change  Havana  for 
Manila. 

We  intended  to  establish  ourselves  in  Manila 
as  partners,  but  before  my  friend  would  give  up  his 
position  he  insisted  that  I  should  first  go  to  Europe 
and  endeavor  to  arrange  certain  business  matters. 
Later,  if  I  should  realize  my  expectations,  he  would 
leave  Havana,  we  would  meet  in  Europe,  and 
together  sail  for  the  Philippines. 

The  distance  from  Havana  to  New  York  is 
about  twelve  hundred  miles,  and  is  made  by  the 
regular  mail  boats  in  from  four  to  five  days. 

(173) 


174  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

A  large  English  steamer,  lately  arrived  from 
Santo  Domingo,  was  then  advertising  for  freight 
and  passengers  for  New  York.  She  carried  only 
saloon  passengers,  and  thinking  she  would  make 
the  trip  in  the  usual  time,  I  purchased  a  ticket  by 
her  for  fifty  dollars.  A  number  of  other  people, 
mostly  Spanish,  Mexican  and  English  families,  had 
taken  passage  also.  But  scarcely  had  we  left  the 
anchor  ground  when  we  found  that  the  lying,  over 
drawn  newspaper  advertisements  had  deceived  us  all. 

This  vessel,  advertised  as  a  steamer,  had  a  very 
elegant  cabin  outfit,  but  otherwise  not  even  the  good 
qualities  of  a  middle-class  sailing  vessel;  A  miser 
able  little  engine,  scarcely  able  to  drive  her  at  a 
speed  of  three  miles  an  hour,  constituted  her  steam 
power,  and  was  for  use  only  in  case  she  could  not 
make  headway  under  sail.  When  a  calm  set  in,  the 
"  coffee-machine  "  was  set  at  work,  but  at  the  least 
puff  of  air  the  propeller  was  raised  from  the  water 
and  under  sail  we  crept  slowly  along. 

In  our  first  excitement  we  reproached  the  cap 
tain  in  bitter  terms,  telling  him  that  upon  our 
arrival  in  New  York  we  should  make  public  the  mean, 
contemptible  trick  played  upon  us.  He  answered 
that  he  was  sorry  for  us  with  all  his  heart,  but  in 
sisted  that  he  was  not  to  blame  for  it,  and  that  with 
all  his  good  will  .he  could  not  make  of  his  old, 
weather-beaten  vessel  a  .White  Star  ocean  grey 
hound. 

At  last,  knowing  that  our  situation  could  not  be 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  175 

altered  by  grumbling,  we  quieted  down  and  tried  to 
make  the  best  of  our  situation. 

In  addition  to  a  few  hundred  barrels  of  pine 
apples,  and  any  quantity  of  bananas  stored  on  deck, 
the  cargo  of  the  vessel  consisted  principally  of 
sugar.  In  consequence  of  our  long  voyage,  the  pine 
apples  soon  began  to  spoil,  and  to  spread  such  a 
horrible  odor  all  over  the  ship  that  they  had  to  be 
thrown  overboard.  At  this  time  we  were,  in  spite 
of  having  had  ever  since  leaving  Havana  the  finest 
weather,  not  even  half  way  to  New  York. 

At  noon  of  the  second  Sunday  out  dark  clouds 
appeared  on  the'northeastern  horizon.  They  came 
nearer  and  nearer,  enveloping  us  in  darkness  like 
night,  while  the  storm  swept  howling  and  shrieking 
over  our  heads.  The  ocean,  which  shortly  before' 
had  been  so  calm  and  quiet,  presented  a  few  hours 
later  an  entirely  different  appearance.  The  foam 
ing,  mountainous  billows,  lighted  up  at  intervals  by 
great  flashes  of  lightning,  were  a  terrible  but 
grandly  impressive  sight,  and  the  tremendous  seas 
that  washed  the  deck  with  deafening  roars  carried 
everything  not  fastened  securely  along  with  them. 

The  old,  clumsy  India  was  pitched  about  in  a 
most  merciless  fashion,  and  made  such  a  dreadful, 
squeaking  noise  that  most  of  the  passengers  could 
neither  walk,  stand  nor  sleep  during  the  following 
night.  By  the  morning  the  tempest  had  passed, 
the  sea  quieted  down,  the  jerking  motion  of  the  ves 
sel  ceased,  and  all  sail  could  be  set  again. 


176  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

Our  joy  at  the  passing  of  the  storm  was  turned 
to  anxiety  when  the  captain  told  us  that  during  the 
night  his  old  tub  had  sprung  a  leak ;  that  it  had 
been  found  necessary  to  throw  part  of  the  cargo 
overboard,  and  that  the  pumps  had  to  be  kept  going 
constantly.  He  told  us  this  as  we  were  sitting  down 
to  breakfast,  and  tried  to  tranquilize  us  by  adding 
that  no  immediate  danger  was  to  .be  feared  ;  but  if 
the  crew  should  not  be  able  to  keep  the  pumps 
going ;  if  the  pumps  themselves  could  not  avail 
against  the  incoming  sea,  or  if  foul  weather  were  to 
overtake  us  again,  then,  of  course,  it  would  be  a  dif 
ferent  matter,  and  rather  questionable  whether  we 
would  ever  reach  the  port  of  destination. 

His  statement  had  a  very  painful  effect  upon 
the  greater  number  of  passengers,  who  cried,  sobbed, 
fainted  or  gave  other  outward  expressions  to  their 
feelings.  Not  only  were  delicate  matrons  and  maid 
ens  lamenting,  but  strong  and  powerful  men  also, 
from  whom  one  might  have  expected  more  coura 
geous  conduct. 

During  the  following  six  days  the  passengers 
assisted  the  crew  to  the  best  of  their  ability,  and  did 
all  they  could  to  save  themselves  and  the  vessel  from 
destruction.  Whether,  without  our  assistance,  the 
vessel  would  ever  have  reached  New  York  is  very 
problematical  and  difficult  to  decide.  The  instinct 
of  self-preservation  animated  every  one  of  us,  and 
even  tender  and  delicate  women  stood  to  the  pumps 
and  worked  as  hard  as  the  sailors. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  177 

We  were  in  all  about  sixty  adults  in  the  cabin, 
of  whom  about  half  were  women.  Immediately 
after  the  captain  had  laid  the  fact  of  our  situation 
before  us,  the  passengers  divided  themselves  into 
watches.  In  the  beginning  we  decided  to  leave  the 
women  out,  but  they  would  not  hear  of  such  an 
arrangement,  and  urged  that  in  cases  of  such  impera 
tive  need  they  could  devote  their  little  strength  to  a 
common  cause  just  as  well  as  men. 

On  this  occasion  I  formed  a  higher  opinion  of 
the  energy,  perseverence  and  moral  courage  of 
women  than  I,  in  common  with  other  men,  had 
hitherto  held.  Day  and  night  food  and  drink  were 
kept  in  readiness  on  the  cabin  table.  As  soon  as  we 
came  from  our  work  we  refreshed  ourselves  arid 
then  lay  down  until  our  duty  again  called  us  on 
deck. 

Those  who  have  never  been  in  a  similar 
position  can  hardly  imagine  what  a  spectacle  our 
rotton  old  ship  presented,  her  hold  and  'tween  decks 
awash  with  a  solution  of  sugar  and  salt  water. 

Spanish  and  Mexican  beauties,  who  in  all  their 
lives  had  never  dreamed  of  ever  soiling  their  hands 
with  work  of  any  kind,  stood  to  the  pumps,  wet  and 
disheveled  in  draggled  silk  dresses,  and  showed 
themselves  in  a  light  that  only  such  circumstances 
could  account  for.  With  their  dainty  little  hands, 
sore  and  blistered,  they  pushed  and  pulled  the  pump 
handles  up  and  down,  to  the  shame  of  many  of  the 
male  passengers,  and  worked  so  steadily  and  unre- 

TRAVEL   12 


178 


TRAVEL,    ETC. 


mittingly  that  even  the  weather-heaten,  gray- 
bearded  sailors  were  compelled  to  pay  them  a  com 
pliment  of  admiration  and  respect. 

Far  outside  of  Sandy  Hook  we  took  a  pilot  on 
board.  A  little  tug-boat  looking  out  for  customers 
took  hold  of  us  and  brought  us  in  a  few  hours  to 
port.  We  went  on  shore,  and  with  few  exceptions, 
to  the  same  hotel,  and  slept  after  our  hardships  for 
the  next  twenty-four  hours  without  awakening. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

In  New  York  I  remained  but  a  few  days, 
embracing  the  first  opportunity  of  getting  to  Ham 
burg.  My  means  were  very  much  reduced,  and  I 
did  not  feel  inclined  to  spend  the  little  I  had  left 
for  steamer  fare.  I  wished  to  save  it,  and,  if  pos 
sible,  to  work  my  passage. 

At  Hoboken  the  Borussia  was  loading  for  Ham 
burg.  I  went  on  board  of  her,  told  the  chief 
engineer  what  I  wanted,  and  was  at  once  accepted 
as  a  coal-heaver,  and  assigned  to  the  watch  of  the 
third  assistant  engineer. 

From  false  economy  on  the  part  of  the  owners, 
the  German  steamer  Borussia  was  short  of  hands. 
On  the  pier  at  Hoboken  are  always  to  be  found  men 
who  would  like  to  return  to  their  native  country, 
but  on  account  of  their  empty  pockets,  are  not  able 
to  do  so.  The  owners  take  advantage  of  their  pov 
erty  by  engaging  them  to  work  their  passage,  and 
by  such  an  arrangement  save  a  good  deal  of  money. 
They  don't  do  it  out  of  compassion  or  fellow  feeling, 
but  only  on  the  score  of  economy. 

Besides  myself,  a  great  many  other  young  fel 
lows  worked  their  passage  also,  but  they  were 
shipped  mostly  as  deck-hands,  waiters,  or  in  the 
kitchen. 

A  few  days  later  we  left  New  York,  and  arrived 

(179) 


180  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

at  Hamburg,  after  a  very  rough  and  stormy  passage 
of  eighteen  days. 

The  treatment  I  received  on  board  the  Borussia 
I  probably  will  not  forget  as  long  as  I  live. 
Although  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  has 
passed  since  then,  the  scars  on  my  hands  still  remind 
me  of  it. 

The  engineer  to  whose  watch  I  had  been 
assigned,  took  a  dislike  to  me  from  the  first. 
Whether  I  was  too  fine  or  too  common,  too  well 
educated  or  too  uneducated  for  him,  I  could  not 
say.  He  himself  was  such  a  brute,  and  such  a  dis 
graceful  wretch,  that  I  have  seldom  or  never  found 
his  equal.  This  fellow  could  not  even  speak  his 
own  mother  tongue — high  German — but  in  low 
German,  swore,  cursed  and  used  a  vocabulary  of 
vulgar  and  abusive  epithets,  such  as  one  only 
hears  in  the  very  lowest  dives  among  the  outcasts 
of  humanity. 

He  tormented  and  tortured  me  where  and  when 
ever  he  could,  and  in  such  an  infamous  way  that  all 
my  shipmates  felt  embittered  towards  him.  But 
those  poor  creatures  were  so  intimidated,  and  stood 
under  so  tyrannical  a  rule  that  they  scarcely  dared 
to  open  their  mouths.  An  unfavorable  word  from 
the  engineer  would  have  thrown  them  out  of  work, 
and,  perhaps,  have  brought  them  and  their  families 
into  misery  and  want. 

The  firemen  and  trimmers  did  not  earn  even 
the  sixth  part  of  what  we  earned  on  board  the 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  181 

Golden  City,  and,  in  addition,  they  were  treated  by 
their  superiors  like  dogs.  Most  of  them  were  mar 
ried  men,  and  had  to  provide  for  wife  and  children. 
To  make  a  little  better  living  for  their  families, 
these  men,  who  were  mostly  mechanics,  worked  at 
their  various  trades  in  their  spare  time — tailoring, 
shoemaking,  barbering,  or  something  else. 

Accustomed  to  the  simple  and  practical  arrange 
ments  of  the  Americans,  almost  everything  on 
board  of  the  Borussia  seemed  to  me  clumsy  and  far 
behind  the  age.  Especially  was  this  the  case  in  the 
arrangement  for  heaving  the  ashes  from  the  fire- 
room  on  to  the  deck  and  overboard.  It  was  so  old- 
fashioned,  requiring  such  a  waste  of  strength  that 
any  American  engineer  would  have  ridiculed  it. 

In  spite  of  all  these  drawbacks  I  would  not 
have  complained  in  the  least,  if  the  rowdy  engineer 
had  only  let  me  alone.  But  it  seemed  that  it  gave 
him  pleasure  to  bully  and  aggravate  me  at  le:st 
once  during  my  watch,  regardless  of  whether  I  was 
working,  or  standing  under  the  ventilators,  panting 
for  breath.  His  favorite  torture  was  to  order  me 
with  a  sneering  smile  and  in  the  most  supercillious 
manner  to  a  dark  and  gloomy  place  beneath  the 
engine-room,  where,  owing  to  the  low  ceiling,  I 
could  neither  stand  nor  walk,  and  where  in  a  kneel 
ing  position,  or  half  lying  in  cold,  dirty  water,  I 
had  for  hours  to  scrape,  clean  and  do  other 
unnecessary  work. 

I  never  questioned  his  orders,  but  obeyed  with 


182  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

a  look  filled  with  contempt  and  indignation.  Fortu 
nately  he  never  laid  hands  on  me,  otherwise  I  am 
positive  that  one  of  us  would  never  have  risen 
again. 

My  shipmates  often  told  me  that  I  should  com 
plain  to  the  captain  of  his  behavior  toward  me,  but 
I  considered  it  beneath  my  dignity  to  do  so,  and 
besides  I  would  show  no  weakness  to  him,  thinking 
that  for  the  few  days  I  could  stand  it  anyhow. 

My  hands  had  suffered  considerably ;  they 
were  sore  and  inflamed,  and  cruel  thumping  pains 
in  them  often  kept  me  awake  for  twenty-four  ho.urs 
at  a  stretch.  My  shipmates  showed  sympathy  for 
me,  but  my  cowardly,  hard-hearted  torturer  not  the 
very  least. 

One  morning,  when  my  right  arm  began  to 
ache,  and  hung  almost  as  though  lead  had  been 
poured  into  its  joints,  I  resolved  to  go  and  see  the 
doctor.  I  knocked  at  his  cabin,  thought  I  heard 
"  come  in,"  and,  therefore,  opened  the  door.  But 
he  scarcely  caught  sight  of  me  when  in  a  deep  bass 
voice  he  shouted  :  "  How  dare  you — you  insolent 
fellow  you — to  come  in  here — get  out  I  tell  you." 

Rather  puzzled  at  such  a  greeting,  I  closed  the 
door,  and  waited  outside  until  it  pleased  this  ruffian 
to  attend  to  me. 

During  my  residence  in  beautifully  free  Amer 
ica,  I  had  forgotten  entirely  that  in  my  unfortunate 
fatherland,  the  members  of  the  honest,  useful  work 
ing  classes  are  treated  like  beasts  of  burden. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  183 

After  this  petty  tyrant  had  kept  me  waiting, 
like  a  fool,  for  over  half  an  hour  he  at  length  made 
his  appearance.  He  caressed  his  beard,  brought  his 
golden  eye-glasses  into  position,  looked  carelessly 
at  my  hands,  and  said,  in  an  ironical  and  insulting 
tone  :  "  That  is  simply  nothing — bathe  them  in 
cold  water,  and  work  till  they  heal  and  fresh  skin 
grows  over  the  wounds."  Without  wasting  as  much 
as  a  glance  at  him,  I  turned  my  back  and  went 
forward. 

If  his  hands  had  been  but  a  shadow  of  mine,  I  am 
sure  he  would  at  once  have  crawled  into  his  berth, 
and  not  appeared  again  for  days. 

He  was  a  big,  clumsy,  bloated  fellow,  out  of 
whose  face  stared  ignorance,  laziness,  brutality  and 
sensuousness,  and  who  belonged  to  those  that  have 
stained  the  reputation  of  ships'  doctors. 

Owing  to  his  indolent  and  luxurious  life  as  a 
steamship  doctor,  he  had  become  so  lazy  and  stupid 
.that  he  could  not  have  made  a  living  as  a  quack's 
assistant  on  shore.  He  rose  late  in  the  morning, 
went  to  sleep  several  times  during  the  day,  ate 
and  drank,  read  brain-killing  novels,  and  felt  angry 
when,  perhaps,  once  in  a  while  a  passenger,  or  one 
of  the  crew,  came  to  consult  him. 

When  at  last  we  had  reached  our  destination, 
and  tied  up  to  the  Pinas  in  St.  Pauly,  I  parted  from 
my  shipmates,  took  a  cab  and  drove  to  my  parental 
home. 


CHAPTER  XX 

During  my  stay  in  Hamburg  I  was  disap 
pointed  in  many  ways.  I  found  that  the  ideas  of 
freedom,  liberty  and  equality,  brought  back  with 
me  from  America,  were  not  liked  there  at  all,  and 
that  cringing  and  stooping  hypocrisy,  and  servile 
submissiveness,  were  just  as  in  former  years  the  rule 
of  German  life. 

A  few  days  after  my  arrival,  I  tried  to  arrange 
the  affairs  which  I  had  discussed  with  my  friend 
in  Havana.  I  used  every  argument  I  could  bring 
to  bear,  but  owing  to  the  narrow-mindedness  of 
those  people,  I  did  not  succeed.  If  I  had  suited 
myself  to  their  ways,  and  acted  less  freely  and  inde 
pendently,  I  am  sure  that  I  could  have  succeeded.  I 
asked  for  no  alms  whatever,  only  for  credits,  secured 
by  good  collateral,  as  every  business  man  does. 

To  take  the  hat  off,  to  throw  the  cigar  away 
before  entering  the  house,  to  knock  at  the  office 
door,  and  wait  like  a  fool,  until  it  pleased  those 
inside  to  say  "  come  in,  "  to  ask  humbly  for  mister 
so-and-so,  and  then  to  speak  to  some  proud  and 
haughty  fellow  in  a  slavish,  humiliating  way,  did 
not  suit  me. 

I  abandoned  the  project  soon  after  opening 
negotiations  and  wrote  to  my  friend  in  Havana  that 
all  our  arrangements  must  be  considered  at  an  end. 

(184) 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  185 

As  soon  as  I  had  this  affair  off  my  mind  I  felt 
relieved,  and  the  idea  of  leaving  Europe  as  quickly 
as  possible  became  my  only  absorbing  thought. 

With  my  relations  I  could  not  agree  either. 
They  said  that  all  my  former  good  habits  had  been 
ruined  in  America,  and  that  it  would  have  been  far 
better  for  me  if  I  had  never  left  home.  They  could 
not  understand  why  their  ideas  were  not  mine,  why 
I  preferred  the  wild,  far-away  country — as  some 
called  it — to  civilized,  illustrious  Germany  ;  why  I 
felt  neither  happy  nor  contented  in  my  own  native 
country  ;  and  why  I  had  not  the  desire  to  settle 
down -with  them  as  every  good  and  obedient  son 
should. 

People  born  and  reared  in  those  tyrannically 
ruled  countries,  don't  notice  the  pressure  which  lies 
like  lead  upon  them.  Knowing  nothing  better  all 
their  lives,  they  have  become  so  accustomed  to  the 
iron  rod,  continually  hanging  over  "them,  that  in 
their  minds  they  are  the  freest  and  most  independ 
ent  people  in  the  world. 

The  more  they  tried  to  persuade  me  to  remain 
there,  the  more  I  opposed  them,  and  the  end  was  that 
I  did  not  part  on  as  friendly  terms  as  one  should 
with  relations. 

The  sailing  vessel  Palmerston  was  at  this  time 
advertised  for  freight  and  passengers  for  New  York. 
Without  telling  my  people  in  what  way  I  intended 
to  leave,  I  secured  a  steerage  passage  oil  her  for 
forty  dollars. 


186  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

On  board  of  this  emigrant  vessel  were  about 
eight  hundred  passengers,  hailing  from  almost  every 
country  in  northern  Europe,  and  of  whom  scarcely 
the  twentieth  part  traveled  in  the  cabin. 

Life,  as  it  presented  itself  there,  was  worse  than 
anything  I  had  hitherto  seen.  Even  on  board  a 
slave  trader  it  could  not  have  been  worse,  where 
they  had  advantages  which  we  poor  wretches  on 
board  the  Palmerston  had  not.  I  had  thought  it 
impossible  that  ship-owners  of  my  own  native  city, 
who,  as  zealous  church-members  stand  in  high 
repute,  were  not  ashamed  to  carry  on  such  a  nefarious 
business. 

Without  heart,  without  feeling  for  the  misery  of 
their  fellow-creatures,  they  sent  emigrants  like  cat 
tle  across  the  ocean,  and  did  not  even  provide  them 
the  most  necessary  things.  Whether  they  reach  the 
port  of  destination  or  succumb  to  the  misery  they 
find  on  board  is  entirely  indifferent  to  them.  They 
only  have  the  money  point  in  view,  and  look  at  all 
the  rest  merely  as  by-questions.  They  consider  the 
human  freight  as  merchandise,  having  no  more 
claim  to  their  compassion  than  so  many  tons  of  coal 
or  other  stuff. 

Agents  of  those  gentlemen  traveled  among  the 
ignorant  inhabitants  of  northern  countries  trying 
to  entice  them  to  Hamburg,  and  after  the  passage- 
money  to  America  had  been  paid  not  the  tenth  part 
of  all  the  promises  were  fulfilled. 

Such  traffic  is  very  lucrative,  and   leaves  an 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  187 

enormous  profit.  The  many  palatial  residences  on 
the  Elbe,  on  the  Alster  and  in  other  so-called  aris 
tocratic  localities,  which  have  been  built  from  the 
blood  of  such  poor,  unfortunate  victims,  are  the  best 
proof  of  it. 

The  officers  and  crew  of  an  emigrant  vessel  are 
obliged  to  obey  orders  strictly,  and  carry  into  effect 
the  wishes  of  their  employers.  If  they  do  not,  or 
if  they  show  sympathy,  no  matter  how  little,  with 
their  wretched  fellow-creatures  aboard,  then  they 
are  of  no  value,  and  are  dismissed  at  the  first  oppor 
tunity.  They  have  to  be  jugt  as  heartless  and 
insensible  to  every  kind  of  misery  as  their  employ 
ers,  and  the  more  so  they  are  the  easier  it  is  for 
them  to  work  themselves  up. 

All  those  least  commendable  virtues  were  to  be 
found  on  board  the  Palmerston.  With  but  few  excep 
tions,  officers  and  men  obeyed  instructions  to  the 
letter.  Besides,  the  crew  was  savage  and  brutal, 
and  treated  our  poor,  awkward  emigrants  in  such 
an  infamous  fashion  that  many  of  them  actually 
trembled  with  fear  whenever  they  were  spoken  to. 
Kicks,  slaps  and  blows  were  so  liberally  distributed 
that  one  could  well  imagine  himself  in  a  Russian 
penitentiary  or  on  a  German  drill-ground. 

The  food  served  to  us  was  in  keeping  with  the 
other  accommodations.  The  food  supplied  steerage 
passengers  on  American  vessels  was  in  comparison 
to  ours  the  most  luxurious. 

Our  cook  was  as  mean  as  his  employers ;    he, 


188  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

too,  was  out  for  business.  He  issued  such  scanty 
rations  that  the  greater  number  of  the  passengers 
were  as  hungry  after  their  meals  as  before.  If  they 
wanted  more  the  cook  would  furnish  it,  but  only  in 
return  for  pecuniary  consideration. 

Even  the  very  sailors  imitated  his  tricks,  and 
sold  for  cash  to  our  careworn  and  hungry  passen 
gers,  every  bit  they  could  spare  from  their  own 
miserable  food.  Many  of  the  emigrants,  men  as 
well  as  women,  courted  the  good  will  of  sailors  and 
deck  boys  in  the  most  servile  flattery,  only  to  obtain 
some  direct  or  indirect  advantage  for  their  griping 
stomachs. 

In  the  upper  part  of  the  ship's  hold,  before  used 
to  store  freight  in,  were  two  plank  scaffolds,  one 
above  the  other.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  nar 
row  gangways,  the  whole  surface  of  those  rough 
boards  and  planks  were  divided  by  laths  into  squares 
of  about  four  by  six  feet,  in  which  two  or  three  of 
us  had  to  sleep.  They  reminded  me  of  the  worst 
kind  of  sheep  pens.  In  those  pens  we  lay  like 
pickled  herrings,  and  in  which,  on  account  of  the 
low  ceilings,  we  could  not  even  sit  upright.  Small 
boxes,  satchels,  tin  cups,  plates  and  other  utensils 
so  necessary  to  emigrant  vessels,  shared  the  place. 

Emigrants  who  had  the  means  to  buy  in  Ham 
burg  straw  mattresses  lay,  of  course,  on  them,  but 
those  poor  creatures  who  had  not  were  obliged  to 
lie  during  the  whole  voyage  on  the  hard  pine 
boards. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  189 

As  men  and  women,  girls,  boys  and  little  chil 
dren  lay  in  these  pens  without  regard  to  decency,  it 
is  easy  to  comprehend  that  the  meaning  of  "mine" 
and  "  thine  "  was  often  lost  sight  of. 

To  people  who  imagine  that  they  would  faint 
were  they  to  stick  their  noses  inside  the  steerage  of 
an  American  vessel  I  can  recommend,  as  a  nerve- 
strengthening  remedy,  a  voyage  on  board  a  German 
slave  or  emigrant  ship. 

In  consequence  of  the  continuous  bad  weather, 
the  hatches,  for  days  at  a  time,  could  not  be  opened, 
and  the  atmosphere  in  our  pens  was  then  simply 
horrible.  The  greater  number  of  our  emigrants 
had  never  been  beyond  the  borders  of  their  native 
villages  until  now,  and  naturally  suffered  severely 
from  seasickness.  They  grunted,  groaned  and 
lamented  in  such  a  heartrending  manner  that  the 
rest  of  us  could  scarcely  hear  ourselves  speak. 

There  was  not  the  slightest  attempt  made  to 
render  medical  assistance  on  board  in  any  way,  not 
even  in  cases  of  childbirth  and  death,  which  fre 
quently  occurred.  In  the  latter  case  the  sailors 
carried  the  corpses  on  deck,  wrapped  them  in  old 
pieces  of  canvas,  and  threw  them  with  a  sort  of 
"  hurrah  "  overboard.  Everyone  looked  out  for  her 
or  himself,  and  God — so  they  said — did  the  same 
for  all  of  us. 

The  officers  never  came  into  our  part  of  the 
ship,  and  the  sailors  very  seldom,  and  then  only 
after  taking  all  sorts  of  precaution — no  doubt  they 


190  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

had  a  wholesome  respect  for  the  sickening  atmos 
phere  and  the  two,  four  and  multi-legged  inhabi 
tants  of  our  'tween  decks. 

The  stall  immediately  above  that  one  occupied 
by  myself  and  mates  was  tenanted  by  a  family  of 
Finns,  consisting  of  father,  mother  and  son,  who, 
at  times,  became  very  offensive  and  annoying  to  us. 
These  poor  creatures  were  clothed  in  rags  that 
scarcely  sufficed  to  meet  the  ordinary  demands  of 
decency,  and  suffered  from  exposure  most  terribly. 
They  resembled  skeletons  in  appearance,  they  sel 
dom  came  out  of  their  stall,  they  scarcely  ate  any 
thing,*  and  it  actually  seemed  that  they  must  have 
buried  themselves  in  their  own  filth.  We  did  all 
we  could  to  make  them  understand  that  we  were 
alive  below,  and  had  a  right  to  some  consideration, 
but  our  remonstrances  made  not  the  slightest 
impression  upon  them,  and  horrible,  unmention 
able  matter  continued  to  drip  down  upon  us. 

An  experience  in  the  'tween  decks  of  our  ship 
was  the  most  effective  means  I  know  of  for  develop 
ing  the  brutish  instincts  of  human  beings. 

Next  to  our  pen,  separated  from  us  by  two  six- 
inch  strips  of  lumber,  was  one  occupied  by  a  Polish 
couple  and  their  daughter,  a  young  girl  almost 
grown  to  womanhood.  The  fat,  ugly,  and  garlic- 
perspiring  old  Jewish  woman  became  at  times  very 
annoying  to  me.  She  used,  when  asleep,  to  thrust 
her  arms  through  the  space  between  the  slats  that 
separated  us,  and  wipe  those  fat,  dirty  appendages 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  191 

of  hers  across  my  face.  I  would  not  have  paid 
much  attention  to  this  kind  of  joke,  had  it  not  been 
for  the  horrible  aroma  of  her  breath  that  came  full 
in  my  face  and  nauseated  me  almost  to  the  verge 
of  vomiting.  Under  the  influence  of  such  an 
atmosphere  I  often  felt  a  premonition  of  seasick 
ness,  and  to  check  an  eruption  in  time  I  hung  an 
old  garment  of  mine  to  the  partition  slats,  as  a  non 
conductor  of  odor. 

The  husband  of  this  woman,  who  at  first  seemed 
perfectly  contented  with  his  lot,  and  who  quacked 
and  chatted  all  day  long,  after  the  manner  of  his 
people,  was  suddenly  taken  ill,  seized  with  a  severe 
dysentery,  wasted  away  to  a  skeleton,  and  after  suf 
fering  intense  pain,  died. 

His  wife  and  daughter  were  so  overcome  by 
their  own  misery  that  the  death  of  their  bread  win 
ner  seemed  to  make  but  little  impression  upon 
them.  He  died  during  the  night,  while  a  terrible 
gale  swept  over  us.  Our  vessel  rolled,  pitched, 
creaked  and  groaned  in  such  an  infernal  manner 
that  but  few  on  board  could  close  their  eyes. 

My  neighbor  aroused  me,  told  me  what  had 
happened,  and  begged  me  to  fasten  the  lifeless  body 
of  her  husband  to  the  slats  of  the  pen,  in  order  to 
prevent  it  from  being  rolled  over  herself  and  daugh 
ter,  by  the  pitching  of  the  vessel.  I  did  so,  closed 
thereupon  my  nose  and  ears,  and  thus  enjoyed  a 
few  hours'  rest. 

What  I  have  suffered,  and  how  my   olfactory 


192  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

nerves  were  tortured  during  the  sickness  of  my 
unfortunate  neighbor  is  almost  impossible  to  say. 
At  this  writing,  although  more  than  twenty-five 
years  have  passed  since  that  awful  voyage,  the 
aroma  of  those  days  and  nights  often  seems  to 
return  to  my  nose. 

The  stench  of  a  dunghill  appeared  to  me  as 
perfume  in  comparison  to  the  odor  that  emanated 
from  the  pen  occupied  by  my  Polish  neighbors. 

My  pen-mates  and  I  only  regretted  that  we 
could  not  have  had  the  ship-owners  along  with  us  ; 
for  had  the  opportunity  only  presented  itself,  we 
certainly  would  have  served  them  as  one  serves 
kittens  when  they  commit  a  nuisance,  and  have 
rubbed  the  aristocratic  noses  of  these  gentlemen  in 
the  filth  that  trickled  over  and  under  our  mat 
tresses. 

From  the  time  of  leaving  Cuxhaven  until  we 
arrived  in  New  York,  we  were  continuously  buf 
feted  by  storms  of  more  or  less  severity.  Our  cap 
tain's  first  intention  was  to  go  through  the  Channel, 
but  on  account  of  heavy,  foggy  weather  he  gave 
that  idea  up,  and  decided  to  sail  around  Scotland. 
He  enjoyed  a  high  reputation  among  the  greater 
part  of  my  fellow-passengers.  They  looked  upon 
him  with  admiration,  and  would  certainly  not  have 
dared  to  even  open  their  mouths  in  his  presence. 

That  he  could  bring  his  vessel  across  the  ocean 
with  nothing  in  sight  to  steer  by  save  water,  sky, 
sun,  moon  and  stars,  was  something  that  they  could 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  193 

not  understand,  and  it  remains,  perhaps,  to  this 
very  day  a  puzzle  to  them.  They  thought  the  route 
between  Hamburg  and  New  York  would  resemble 
somewhat  the  roads  in  their  own  countries,  where, 
in  order  to  direct  one  on.  his  way,  lamp-posts,  sign 
boards,  and,  once  in  awhile,  a  lager  beer  saloon 
could  be  found. 

At  last,  at  the  end  of  the  fifth  week,  we  came  in 
sight  of  land,  when  our  joy -was  general  and  mutual. 

Far  from  land  we  picked  up  a  pilot.  As 
he  came  on  board  and  saw  the  filth  and  dirt  on 
deck,  his  breath  left  him.  Without  saying  a  word 
he  descended-  into  his  boat,  wrapped  himself  in 
heavy  oilcloth,  changed  his  hat  for  an  old  south- 
wester,  lighted  his  pipe,  and  then  returned  to  us. 
One  cannot  wonder  at  an  American,  accustomed  to 
neatness  and  cleanliness,  becoming  ill  and  faint  at 
the  sight  of  such  a  floating  pig-pen. 

Several  tugs  came  alongside,  but  on  account  of 
the  stinginess  of  our  captain,  their  services  were 
not  accepted. 

Inside  of  Sandy  Hook  we,  for  the  first  time 
during  the  voyage,  enjoyed  the  life-giving  rays  of 
the  sun.  By  hundreds  the  emigrants  flocked  on 
deck,  and  gazed  with  stupid,  expressionless  faces 
towards  the  land,  where  they  thought  that  gold 
was  to  be  picked  from  the  ground. 

"  Over  in  America,"  "  over  in  New  York,"  was 
about  all  one  could  hear  during  the  voyage.  Of 
the  political,  social  and  commercial  institutions  of 

TRAVEL    13 


194  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

the  country  they  knew  absolutely  nothing,  nor  of 
the  pitiful  fate  which  awaited  such  ignorant,  awk 
ward  creatures  as  themselves. 

Whether  New  York  was  in  America,  America 
in  New  York,  or  New  York  and  America  districts 
of  a  Russian  province  at  the  other  end  of  the 
world,  was  equally  vague  to  them.  They  knew  as 
little  about  it  as  they  knew  of  the  form  of  our  globe, 
which,  by  a  good  many  of  my  traveling  companions 
was  in  shape  compared  to  a  limburger  cheese. 

One  might  be  certain  that  other  and  perhaps 
greater  misfortunes  than  they  had  yet  experienced 
awaited  our  emigrants  as  soon  as  they  stepped  upon 
shore.  They  could  neither  speak  the  language,  nor 
were  they  shrewd  enough  to  protect  themselves 
from  the  meanness  and  rascality  of  those  who  in 
every  large  seaport  in  America  make  a  living  by 
robbing  and  swindling  ignorant  emigrants.  These 
outcasts  of  humanity,  usually  recruited  from  the 
ranks  of  their  own  countrymen,  cheat,  deceive  and 
betray  them,  take  possession  of  them  as  soon  as 
they  land,  and  if  they  have  money,  or  anything 
worth  money,  hang  on  to  them  until  the  last  cent  is 
gone,  and  then  kick  them  into  the  street. 

The  old  world  considers  America  as  a  kind  of 
dumping  ground  for  all  the  men  and  women  they 
cannot  use  there.  Whether  escaped  from  prison  or 
the  gallows,  whether  poverty,  or  the  cruel,  unjust 
laws  of  kings,  queens  and  emperors,  drive  the  peo 
ple  away  from  there,  makes  no  difference  whatever — 


TRAVEL,    ETC. 


195 


all  and  everything,  according  to  European  ideas,  is 
good  enough  for  America.  No  one  can  deny  that 
large  numbers  of  honest,  respectable  and  useful 
people  are  coming  from  Europe  every  month,  but 
that  a  great  deal  of  rubbish  also  finds  its  way  to 
the  American  shores  is  equally  true.  Time  and 
experience  will  surely  tell  whether  or  not  it  is  to 
the  interest  of  America  and  the  American  people  to 
restrict  the  liberal  emigration  laws  of  to-day. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

My  intention  was  to  go  from  New  York  to 
South  America,  and  from  there  as  circumstances 
would  permit,  to  return  to  the  Philippines.  But 
fate  decided  otherwise,  and  for  some  unknown 
reason  tossed  me  about  for  a  time  in  the  northern 
hemisphere. 

One  evening  while  sitting  in  the  Atlantic 
Garden,  on  the  Bowery,  over  a  glass  of  beer,  a  gen 
tleman  came  toward  me,  saluted  me,  and  said  that 
he  felt  sure  that  he  must  have  seen  me  before  in 
some  part  of  the  world.  He  sat  down  with  me  ;  we 
presently  drifted  into  conversation,  and  found  that 
we  had  met  before  at  Acapulco. 

He  was  a  Hungarian,  and  at  the  time  he  had 
seen  me  at  Acapulco  held  the  rank  of  captain  in  an 
infantry  regiment  in  Maximilian's  army  ""stationed 
there.  On  account  of  sickness  he  had  quitted  the 
service,  in  the  meantime  paid  a-visit  to  his  friends 
in  Europe,  and  was  now  on  his  return  to  Mexico. 

We  became  quite  friendly,  used  to  meet  fre 
quently,  and  spend  much  of  our  time  together  stroll 
ing  about  New  York,  and  talking  over  our  Mexican 
experiences.  I  eventually  became  so  interested  in 
Mexico  that  I  entirely  forgot  my  intentions  of  going 
to  South  America,  and  made  up  my  mind  to  return 
with  him  to  the  land  of  the  Aztecs.  We  lived  at 

(196) 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  197 

rather  a  lively  pace  in  New  York,  until  we  had 
scarcely  money  enough  left  to  pay  our  fares  to  Vera 
Cruz. 

Immediately  upon  my  arrival,  I  left  with  a 
body  of  cavalry  for  the  interior.  My  Hungarian 
friend  joined  the  infantry,  and  I  left  him  on  my 
departure,  in  Vera  Cruz. 

During  the  time  I  was  in  Mexico,  I  spent  very 
many  happy  and  pleasurable  days,  as  well  as  sad 
and  sorrowful  ones,  which,  as  long  as  life  lasts,  will 
remain  engraven  upon  my  memory.  I  have,  per 
haps,  seen  more  of  this  beautiful  country  than  the 
majority  of  my  fellowmen,  and  from  actual  experi 
ence  formed  a  high  opinion  of  the  patriotism  of  its 
noble  and  heroic  people. 

Owing  to  the  indecision  of  our  leaders,  we  were 
chased  about  the  country  in  every  direction  ;  some 
days  to  the  north  or  south,  at  others  to  the  east  or 
west  ;  sometimes  high  on  the  plateau,  at  others 
deep  in  the  valleys  of  this  charming  land,  which,  by 
the  horrors  of  that  utterly  useless  and  uncalled  for 
war  has  suffered  so  immensely. 

We  scarcely  had  time  to  congratulate  ourselves 
that  after  long,  weary  marchers,  skirmishes  and 
battles  we  should  now  have  an  opportunity  for  a 
short  rest,  than  we  got  new  marching  orders,  and 
the  morning  saw  us  off  to  another  district  of  this 
then  unfortunate  country. 

The  horrors  of  this  war,  which  upon  such  a 
frivolous  excuse  was  declared  through  the  Napoleonic 


198  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

arrogance,  surpassed  in  many  respects  even  the 
most  barbarous  excesses  of  former  centuries,  and 
the  desperation  with  which  both  parties  battled  to 
the  very  last,  scarcely  finds  a  parallel  in  the  annals 
of  history. 

It  is,  indeed,  a  misfortune  that  the  story  of  all 
the  infamous  deeds  committed  in  Mexico  has  never 
become  public  property  in  Europe,  and  that  it  exists 
only  in  the  memories  of  those  who,  as  facile  tools, 
were  forced  to  obey  the  cruel  will  of  the  European 
intruder. 

In  monarchical  countries,  which  can  exist  only 
by  fraud  and  oppression,  truth  is  considered  the 
greatest  enemy  of  the  state — rather  of  the  monarch. 
All  facts  given  to  the  public  are  distorted  and 
twisted  into  such  shape  as  will  reflect  most  credit 
upon  monarchical  institutions,  and  enthuse  the 
people  for  the  government. 

Experience  shows  that  truth-loving  Europe  has 
often  made  a  harmless,  innocent  lamb  of  a  blood 
thirsty  tiger. 

This  cruel  war,  which  was  brought  to  an  end 
by  Mexico  in  such  a  glorious  fashion,  has  shown  to 
the  world  once  inore  that  republican  liberty  can 
always  vanquish  monarchical  despotism.  It  has 
spoiled  forever  the  lust  of  territory  of  those 
European  despots  who  for  decades  have  been  cast 
ing  envious  eyes  upon  the  American  Republics,  and 
it  has  plainly  and  distinctly  given  them  to  under 
stand  that  free  people  will  fight  the  sword  with  the 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  199 

sword,  until  every  son  of  the  soil  rests  upon  the 
shield  stained  with  his  blood,  rather  than  see  a  des 
pot's  flag  in  free  America. 

Had  it  not  been  that  the  United  States'  hands 
were  tied  at  that  time,  this  scandalous  campaign, 
which  ended  with  the  execution  of  Maximilian, 
would  not  and  could  not  have  taken  place  at  all. 
The  well-known  "  Monroe  Doctrine,"  according  to 
which  no  European  power  is  allowed  to  interfere  in 
the  affairs  of  the  new  world,  would  have  been 
enforced  and  respected,  and  not  a  single  European 
despot  would  have  dared  to  abrogate  it. 

The  unfortunate  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War 
in  t\ie  United  States  shortly  before  the  Mexican 
campaign  was  set  afoot,  lessened  the  influence  of 
the  American  government  in  the  affairs  of  the  out 
side  world.  Europe  saw  her  opportunity,  and  hoped 
to  reap  some  benefits  from  it.  With  the  exception 
of  the  Swiss,  all  the  other  governments  of  Europe 
expected  and  hoped  for  the  success  of  the  Southern 
Confederacy  in  that  most  awful  war,  and  Napoleon, 
seeing  his  opportunity  in  Mexico,  started  his  cru 
sade. 

Without  any  formal  declaration  of  war,  after 
the  style  of  savages,  rather  than  of  so-called  civil 
ized  nations,  Spain,  England  and  France,  in  the 
latter  part  of  1861,  pounced  upon  Mexico.  They 
seized  Vera  Cruz,  murdered  all  those  who  opposed 
their  arms,  and  advanced  into  the  interior,  plunder 
ing  and  pillaging. 


200  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

The  agreement  between  these  throe  nations, 
however,  did  not  last  very  long,  and  a  few  months 
later  England  and  Spain  withdrew  their  troops, 
which  in  the  meantime  had  advanced  beyond  Ori 
zaba,  leaving  the  field  of  operations  to  the  arrogant, 
intrigue-loving  Napoleon. 

The  French  army  in  Mexico  numbered  about 
forty  thousand  men,  and  in  order  to  replace  the 
enormous  losses  in  battles,  sickness  and  desertion, 
fresh  troops  had  to  be  sent  from  Europe  contin 
ually. 

Napoleon  at  that  time  was  the  most  powerful 
and  influential  personality  in  Europe.  Every  one 
bowed  to  his  wishes,  and  obeying  him  with  slavish 
snbmissiveness  seemed  to  be  considered,  even  by 
the  others  of  the  European  sovereigns,  the  greatest 
possible  honor. 

After  the  capital  of  Mexico  and  many  other 
important  places  had  fallen  into  the  possession  of 
the  foreign  intruder,  Napoleon  thought  it  best  to 
establish  under  his  protection  an  hereditary  mon 
archy  in  Mexico.  French  influence,  backed  by 
French  gold,  French  bayonets  and  French  promises, 
easily  bought  over  a  handful  of  venal  traitors,  who, 
in  the  name  of  the  Mexican  people,  suggested  the 
establishment  of  a  monarchical  form  of  govern, 
rnent  in  their  country. 

This  petition  being  duly  laid  before  Napoleon, 
just  as  he  had  dictated  it  to  the  petitioners,  he  had 
an  emperor  ready  at  hand,  in  the  proud  and  ambi- 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  201 

tio'us  Maximilian,  who,  tired  of  being  a  nonentity 
in  Europe,  was  willing  to  be  an  emperor  even  in 
America.  He  jumped  at  the  chance,  and  accepted 
Napoleon's  terms  at  once,  making,  of  course,  the 
condition — a  mere  matter  of  form — that  the  Mexi 
can  people  themselves  should  tender  him  this 
honor. 

Some  of  the  same  traitors  who  had  shortly 
before  petitioned  Napoleon,  were  called  together 
and  shipped  to  Europe  with  instructions  to  tender 
the  imperial  crown  to  Maximilian,  and  to  concede 
any  other  formalities  he  might  demand. 

Maximilian's  mentality  was  not  of  a  high 
order,  but  in  spite  of  that  his  common  sense  should 
have  taught  him  that  these  men — self-seekers  and 
traitors  as  they  were — had  neither  the  true  interest 
of  Mexico  at  heart,  nor  the  right  to  speak  for  a 
whole  nation,  knowing,  as  he  must  have,  that 
such  creatures  could  not  be  the  representatives  of 
an  heroic,  freedom  and  liberty-loving  nation. 

But  the  ambition  to  rank  with  his  imperial 
masters  and  kinsmen,  and  to  have  the  same  unlim 
ited  opportunities  to  plunder  .a  whole  nation  on  an 
imperial  scale,  was  so  tempting  that  he  entirely 
forgot  to  take  the  more  important  points  of  the 
question  into  consideration. 

He  left  his  lovely  home,  his  castle  Miramar,  so 
charmingly  situated  on  the  shores  of  the  Adriatic, 
to  invade,  as  usurper,  a  country  in  which  the  repub 
lican  form  of  government  existed  as  before,  and 


202  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

where,  after  a  brief  and  troubled  dream  of  imperial 
state,  he  met  his  richly  deserved  fate. 

Maximilian's  European  connection  which,  by 
the  way,  is  always  glad  to  have  an  opportunity  to 
increase  and  strengthen  its  forces  by  another  crowned 
head  had,  of  course,  acknowledged  him  at  once  as 
emperor.  America  alone  ignored  him,  treated  him 
as  an  adventurer  and  interloper,  and  recognized,  as 
before,  the  government  of  the  President,  Benito 
Juarez,  as  the  only  possible  and  lawful  one. 

Maximilian  with  his  wife,  the  proud  and  ambi 
tious  Charlotte,  landed  during  the  summer  of  sixty- 
four  at  Vera  Cruz,  and  in  triumphal  procession 
were  escorted,  under' the  protection  of  French  bay 
onets,  to  their  future  residence,  the  capital  city  of 
Mexico. 

For  nearly  three  years  the  newly-made  emperor 
lived  happily  and  contentedly  in  a  country,  the 
language  of  which  he  could  scarcely  speak,  and 
during  this  time  strained  every  nerve  to  equal  in 
the  splendor  of  his  state,  and  the  luxury  of  his  liv 
ing  his  European  kinsmen.  Short-sighted,  inex 
perienced  in  statecraft,  without  the  qualities  of  a 
general  or  a  fighter,  he  did  not  even  take  an  interest 
in  the  affairs  of  his  government.  He  enjoyed  the 
fact  of  his  really  being  an  emperor,  and  left  impor 
tant  affairs  in  the  hands  of  his  generals,  and  his 
Mexican  and  European  advisers. 

If  right  went  before  might,  Maximilian  would 
have  had  but  little  of  the  good  things  of  life,  but 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  203 

as  this,  unfortunately,  was  not  the  case,  he,  from 
the  very  beginning,  demanded  a  civil  list — the  word 
"  salary"  is  too  gross  and  vulgar  for  crowned  heads — 
of  three  million  six  hundred  thousand  per  year. 

In  spite  of  the  poverty  and  misery  which  pre 
vailed  under  his  government,  the  kind-hearted 
Emperor — as  he  was  called  by  his  professed 
admirers — never  forgot  to  pocket  his  ten  thousand 
dollars  every  morning,  which,  as  salary  for  the  last 
twenty-four  hours,  became  due  to  him. 

Three  million  six  hundred  thousand  dollars  is 
a  very  large  amount  of  money,  and  appears  still 
larger  by  comparison.  The  Presidents  of  the  United 
States  do  not  receive  such  a  sum  of  money  in  sev 
enty  years,  or,  to  put  it  another  way,  Maximilian 
received  in  a  space  of  five  days  just  as  much  as  the 
First  Magistrate  of  the  United  States  of  America 
receives  for  a  whole  year's  services. 

The  imperial  households  at  the  City  of  Mexico 
and  Chapultepec  squandered  fabulous  sums  of 
money,  and  to  scrape  these  together  it  was  neces 
sary  to  use  strong  measures  —  measures  which 
would  have  brought  a  blush  to  the  cheek  of  a 
Turkish  tax-collector. 

Court  etiquette,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  imperial 
humbuggery,  had,  of  course,  to  be  introduced  into 
the  New  World  also.  Until  the  arrival  of  Maximil 
ian  and  Charlotte,  nothing  of  this  tomfoolery  was 
known  in  Mexico — the  Mexicans  did  not  even 
understand  how  to  salute  imperial  majesties !  Con- 


204  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

sequently  it  called  for  an  immense  deal  of  brain- 
work,  together  with  the  combined  wisdom  of  this 
tenderly-loving  couple,  to  find  a  remedy  for  such 
an  awful  state  of  ignorance. 

Everything  needful  was  ordered  from  Europe  ; 
the  Mexicans  had  to  pay  for  it,  and  were  supposed 
to  consider  it  an  honor  to  be  allowed  to  provide 
these  luxuries  for  such  exalted  personages. 

Besides  highly  aristocratic,  but  hollow-headed, 
self-opinionated  court  ladies,  any  number  of  blue- 
blooded  stable-boys,  toilet-room  and  bed-chamber 
cleaners,  porters,  court  clowns  and  hundreds  of 
other  useless  individuals,  with  titles,  decorations 
and  bombastic  names,  arrived.  They  acquainted 
the  Mexicans  with  the  secrets  of  rotten,  corrupt 
European  court  life,  and  taught  them  the  art  of 
handling  majesties  by  the  "  Grace  of  God." 

The  aping  of  European  court  fashion  and  cus 
toms  reached  such  a  degree  that  even  Maximilian's 
partisans  became  disgusted  with  such  carnival  and 
masquerade  farces. 

In  Europe,  Maximilian  was  considered  the 
savior  of  a  country  which,  without  his  aid,  would 
have  torn  and  rent  itself  to  pieces  in  civil  war.  He 
was  further  looked  upon  as  a  noble  philanthropist, 
willing  to  sacrifice  his  very  life  in  the  interest  of 
civilization,  and — as  it  was  maliciously  spread 
about — for  the  welfare  of  an  incapable,  lawless  and 
savage  race. 

Believing   this,   a   great   many  credulous,  but 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  205 

noble  and  well-meaning  persons,  followed  in  his 
train,  who,  had  they  realized  the  true  state  of 
affairs,  would  surely  have  remained  at  home. 

That  he  might  not  be  obliged  to  depend  entirely 
upon  the  French  forces  in  Mexico — the  leaders,  and 
even  the  very  soldiers  of  whom  laughed  and  sneered 
at  the  puppy,  placed  by  the  grace  of  their  Emperor 
on  the  Mexican  throne — Maximilian  ordered  so- 
called  Mexican  regiments  to  be  enlisted.  These 
were  placed  under  the  command  of  Mexican  gen 
erals,  and,  like  the  Austrian  and  Belgian  troops, 
had  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  the  French. 

The  lust  of  pillage  and  blood  overcame  disci 
pline,  which  among  the  invading  forces  was  known 
hardly  by  name.  As  vandals,  those  hordes  overran 
the  beautiful  country,  and  sacked  and  destroyed 
where  and  whenever  they  could.  The  provinces  of 
Michoacan,  Sinaloa,  Chihuahua,  Coahuila,  Neuvo 
Leon  and  Tamaulipas  suffered  most,  and  the  cruel 
ties  committed  there  will  surely  never  be  erased 
from  the  memories  of  the  actors  in  those  scenes. 

Looting  and  thieving  went  on  in  the  most 
scandalous  fashion.  From  Maximilian  down  to  the 
lowest  soldier,  almost  everyone  did  his  best  to 
enrich  himself,  and  to  squeeze  as  much  as  possible 
out  of  his  enemy,  the  unfortunate  Mexican. 

The  courage  and  hope  of  the  Republican  troops 
and  that  of  their  leaders  were  but  increased  by  mis 
fortune.  They  fought  for  a  just  cause — for  free 
dom,  liberty,  and  the  independence  of  their  coun- 


206  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

try — and  in  the  fulfillment  of  their  noble  duty  they 
gave  the  most  brilliant  proofs  of  perseverance, 
patience  and  bravery.  To  drive  the  hated  invaders 
from  Mexican  soil  was  their  only  desire,  and  that 
they  would  eventually  have  succeeded,  even  had  the 
French  troops  not  been  recoiled,  no  one  who  knows 
Mexico  and  the  Mexicans  will  ever  doubt  for  a 
moment. 

With  the  imperial  party  all  was  quite  different. 
Many  adherents  lost  courage  and  despaired  as  they 
saw  themselves  opposed  by  such  an  obstinate 
enemy,  who  took  advantage  of  every  opportunity  to 
weaken  and  divide  their  strength. 

Mercy,  compassion,  even  common  humanity, 
no  longer  existed  ;  every  inhuman  act  that  was  done 
by  either  side — and  they  were,  unfortunately,  very 
frequent — was  certain  to  be  requited  by  the  other. 

Towns  and  villages  were  sacked,  pillaged  and 
laid  in  ashes.  Men,  women  and  children  were 
butchered,  outraged,  lashed  to  the  tails  of  horses 
and  dragged  amid  rejoicing  of  the  captors  through 
the  burning  streets.  Prisoners  were  hung  head 
downwards  to  limbs  of  trees,  and  used  as  targets  by 
the  brutal,  arrogant  soldateska.  Foot-traps  were 
set,  bear-pits  were  dug,  covered  with  brushwood, 
and  left  for  some  one  to  fall  into,  whereupon  the 
captives  were  stoned,  or  dragged  out  by  lassoes,  and 
tortured  to  death  in  one  horrible  way  or  another. 

Every  Mexican  who  fought  for  freedom,  liberty 
and  the  independence  of  his  country  was — just  as 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  207 

in  n:y  unfortunate  fatherland — declared  an  outlaw, 
and  no  punishment  seemed  too  hard  and  cruel 
for  him. 

There  were  crimes  committed  in  Mexico,  dur 
ing  the  war,  which  are  of  such  a  sickening  detail 
that  it  would  freeze  the  blood  in  the  veins  of  almost 
anyone,  and  for  all  these  atrocities  no  one,  save 
the  noble-minded  Napoleon  and  the  kind-hearted, 
philanthropical  Maximilian,  was  to  blame. 

The  termination  of  the  American  Civil  War  was 
a  check  to  Napoleon's  and  Maximilian's  ambitious 
schemes,  and  brought  all  their  hopes  and  dreams 
to  a  sudden  end. 

In  democratic  fashion,  in  the  plain,  unvar 
nished  words  of  republican  simplicity,  it  was  inti 
mated  to  the  French  Emperor  that  he  must 
withdraw  his  troops  from  Mexico,  or  the  United 
States  would  take  summary  vengeance.  And  at 
the  same  time  the  Emperor  of  Austria  was  notified 
that  he  must  keep  at  home  a  body  of  troops  which 
stood  ready  to  embark  for  Mexico,  or  the  Ameri. 
can  minister  would  leave  Vienna  within  twenty- 
four  hours. 

To  get  into  trouble  with  the  American  Colossus, 
of  course,  did  not  suit  either  Napoleon,  Franz 
Joseph,  nor  any  other  European  sovereign,  so  they 
tried  to  make  the  best  of  a  bad  job,  and  did  as  they 
were  ordered. 

When  this  disastrous  news  reached  Mexico,  the 
imperial  party  became  confused,  and  the  little 


208  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

remaining  sense  of  those  majesties  by  the  "Grace 
of  God  "  went  entirely. 

Charlotte  went  to  Europe.  She  begged  Napo 
leon  to  change  his  resolution ;  she  implored  the 
Pope  for  his  benediction,  and  all  the  rest  of  her 
European  kinsmen  for  their  assistance  in  her  just 
and  lawful  cause,  and  in  her  ignorance  overlooked 
the  fact  entirely  that  the  mainspring  of  all  her  mis 
fortunes  was  not  in  Europe  at  all — but  in  America, 
in  Washington. 

When  this  proud,  ambitious,  and  hard-hearted 
lady  saw  that  the  splendor  of  her  imperial  majesty 
wTould  dwindle  away,  and  fall  to  pieces  like  a  mis 
erable  house  of  cards,  she  fell  sick,  and  disappeared 
from  the  stage  forever. 

It  was  neither  in  Maximilian's  nor  in  Char 
lotte's  power  to  change  the  situation,  otherwise  they 
would  not  have  hesitated  a  single  moment  to  sacri 
fice  the  last  of  the  Mexican  race  to  their  ambition. 

While  this  approaching  disaster  culminated 
over  the  usurper's  head,  threatening  to  devour  him 
and  his  party,  Maximilian,'  for  the  first  time, 
showed  himself  to  the  world  in  his  true  character. 
Partly  through  ignorance,  partly  through  malicious 
ness,  and  partly  through  that  savage  instinct  which 
tyrants  and  despots  possess,  he  took  one  false  step 
after  another  in  quick  succession,  which  railroaded 
him  only  so  much  the  sooner  towards  the  gallows. 

To  crush  republicanism  and,  as  he  thought, 
to  cure  the  Mexicans  of  their  appetite  for  fighting 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  209 

in  the  future,  he  enacted,  near  the  latter  part  of 
sixty-five,  some  laws  which,  for  barbarity,  would  have 
done  credit  to  the  very  savages  of  the  South  Sea 
Islands. 

Knowing  it  to  be  false,  he  caused  the  report 
to  be  spread  about  the  country  that  Juarez  had 
left  the  Mexican  territory;  that  the  Republican 
forces  had  ceased  to  exist,  and  that  none  but  ban 
dits  and  highwaymen  were  waging  war  against  him. 

He  consequently  decreed  that  prisoners,  what 
ever  their  number  or  their  rank  might  be,  were  to 
be  shot  at  once  ;  that  those  who  sold  horses,  arms, 
war  material  or  provisions  to  the  enemy  were  to 
share  the  same  fate  ;  and  that  those  who  assisted 
the  enemy  in  an  indirect  way,  or  who  declined  to 
accept  an  office  under  the  monarchical  rule,  were 
to  be  imprisoned  and  their  property  confiscated. 

Any  one  acquainted  with  Mexican  affairs  will 
know,  that  during  all  the  years  of  war,  President 
Benito  Juarez  never  left  Mexican  soil.  Most  of  the 
time  he  was  with  his  government  in  Paso  del  Norte, 
and  as  in  the  beginning,  so  at  the  end  of  the  war, 
in  San  Luis  Potosi. 

These  cruel  laws  reacted  upon  the  very  men 
of  Maximilian's  own  forces,  for  the  other  side, 
knowing  that  they  had  no  mercy  to  expect,  showed 
none,  and  both  parties  butchered  their  prisoners  of 
war  most  cruelly. 

By  this  barbarous  decree  Maximilian  sacrificed 
thousands  of  Mexicans  and  foreigners,  and  called 

TRAVEL    14 


210  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

down  upon  himself  the  condemnation,  hatred  and 
contempt,  not  alone  of  the  Mexican  nation,  but  of 
the  whole  right-feeling  and  thinking  world. 

When  the  last  of  the  French  troops  had  left 
Mexico,  almost  the  entire  country  was  in  the  pos 
session  of  the  Republican  forces,  but  Maximilian's 
ambition  could  not  bring  itself  to  resign  the  impe 
rial  crown  and  retire  from  the  country  to  which  he 
had  brought  naught  but  misery  and  misfortune. 
He  continually  buoyed  himself  up  with  the  belief 
that  from  some  unexpected  quarter  he  would  find 
assistance  and  relief  in  his  extremity ;  but  the  days 
he  frittered  away  in  this  vain  hope  only  sufficed  to 
bind  the  iron  bands  of  his  enemies  closer  and  closer 
about  him. 

At  the  capital,  where  every  available  man  fit  to 
bear  arms  had  been  pressed  into  his  service,  he 
brought  his  fighting  strength  up  to  about  twenty 
thousand  men.  With  these,  in  the  beginning,  he 
could  easily  have  made  his  way  to  Acapulco  or  to  Vera 
Cruz,  from  whence  he  could  have  taken  refuge  on 
board  any  foreign  man-of-war  in  the  harbor.  His 
friends  advised  him  to  do  this,  but  instead  of  follow 
ing  their  advice  he  resolved  upon  the  stupid  plan 
of  making  for  the  north,  into  the  very  heart  of  his 
enemy's  stronghold. 

Maximilian  left  the  defense  of  the  capital  in 
the  hands  of  some  of  his  friends,  and  taking  with 
him  about  fifteen  thousand  men  under  the  com 
mand  of  his  three  best  generals,  came  with 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  211 

them  as  far  as  Queretaro.  As  soon  as  he  had  shut 
himself  up  there  the  Republican  General,  Mariano 
Escobedo,  laid  siege  to  the  town,  and  kept  him  like 
a  mouse  in  a  trap.  Every  attempt  at  escape  was 
frustrated,  every  sortie  was  repulsed,  and  at  the  end 
of  May  the  town  was  carried  by  the  victorious 
Republicans. 

That  Queretaro  fell  by  treachery  into  the  hands 
of  Escobedo  is  a  mere  myth — one  of  the  many  false 
hoods  which  were  spread  abroad  with  the  intention 
of  gaining  sympathy  for  Maximilian's  cause. 

Any  one  who  knows  Queretaro  and  the  great 
advantages  the  besieging  forces  have  over  a  garrison 
never  believed  such  nonsense.  From  the  begin 
ning,  the  fall  of  Queretaro  was  but  a  question  of 
time,  which,  of  course,  could  have  been  hastened  by 
a  ruinous  and  destructive  bombardment. 

The  Republicans  were  too  humane  to  stoop  to 
such  a  course,  or  they  would  have  executed  the 
usurper  at  once  upon  capturing  him.  Instead  of 
this,  they  handed  him  over  to  a  court-martial, 
which  convicted  him  of  crimes  committed  against 
the  independence  and  the  public  security  of  the 
nation,  and  as  a  disturber  and  oppressor  of  freedom, 
liberty  and  the  natural  rights  of  men,  and  sentenced 
him  to  be  shot. 

On  the  19th  day  of  June,  Maximilian  and  his 
two  generals,  Mejia  and  Miramon,  were  executed  at 
the  foot  of  the  Cerro  de  las  Campanas,  a  mile  out 
side  of  Queretaro. 


212  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

Unfortunately,  experience  has  shown  that  upon 
the  word  of  royalty  one  cannot  always  depend, 
otherwise  Benito  Juarez  might  have  pardoned  Max 
imilian  and  sent  him,  a  played-out  adventurer,  back 
to  his  European  kinsmen. 

During  the  trial  his  lawyers  and  advisers  did 
everything  possible  to  save  his  life.  Some  of  his 
friends  even  tried  to  gain  by  bribery  what  justice 
denied  them. 

The  Princess  Salm-Salm,  perhaps  more  inter 
ested  than  any  other  person  in  the  escape  of  Max 
imilian,  played  rather  a  dangerous  game  with  his 
guardian,  a  renowned  and  heroic  soldier  of  the 
republic.  She  thought  that  the  vast  sums  of  money 
which  she  could  dispose  of  would  be  more  than 
sufficient  to  buy  his  acquiescence  of  her  schemes, 
and  with  gold  transform  a  gallant  Mexican  officer 
into  a  miserable,  contemptible  traitor.  He  gave  ear 
to  her  plans,  and  after  learning  all  the  details  of  the 
plot  told  her  in  a  vague  manner,  which  perhaps  she 
did  not  understand,  that  it  was  necessary  for  him  to 
advise  first  with  his  commanding  officer. 

On  the  following  day,  in  company  with  the 
Italian,  Austrian  and  Belgian  ministers,  this  lady 
was  expelled  from  Queretaro. 

A  little  later  the  capital  city,  Mexico,  fell  into 
the  hands  of  General  Porfirio  Diaz. 

During  my  adventures  in  Mexico  I  was  wounded 
several  times,  but  was  always  fortunate  enough  to 
escape  with  my  life.  A  blow  that  I  received  on  the 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  213 

head  reminds  me,  even  now,  of  the  stirring  events 
of  those  days. 

It  was  on  the  plateau  of  Mexico  that  we  were 
surprised  one  morning  by  the  Republican  forces. 
In  the  course  of  the  fight  the  enemy  formed  squares 
and  some  of  our  cavalry  were  ordered  to  break  them. 
We  attacked,  but  were  repulsed,  and  after  being 
reinforced  we  charged  again  and  succeeded  in 
breaking  the  formation. 

In  the  hand-to-hand  struggle  which  followed  my 
horse  was  shot  under  me.  I  was  brought  to  the  ground 
with  him,  and  while  trying  to  pick  myself  up  a  soldier 
struck  me  down  again  with  the  butt  of  his  musket. 

When  I  re-opened  my  eyes  I  thought  I  must  be 
dreaming,  for  I  was  gazing  into  the  faces  of  two 
beautiful  women,  who  sat  at  the  side  of  my  bed 
applying  iced  cloths  to  my  head.  I  seized  their 
hands  and  asked  them  with  tears  in  my  eyes  to  tell 
me  how  I  came  in  this  situation.  They  told  me 
that  after  the  fight  was  over,  and  friends  and 
enemies  had  left  the  battle-field,  the  inhabitants 
went  out  to  gather  up  and  carry  the  wounded  into 
the  houses  in  the  vicinity. 

I  had  been  brought  to  the  house  of  a  noble- 
hearted  Mexican  family,  where  for  many  days  I  was 
treated  tenderly,  and  with  loving  kindness. 

.  Expressing  to  them  my  gratitude  for  all  the 
generous  care  they  had  bestowed  upon  me,  I,  as  soon 
as  I  had  recovered  sufficiently,  took  my  leave  and 
hastened  to  the  City  of  Mexico. 


214  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

Promoted  to  the  rank  of  an  officer,  in  the  early 
part  of  the  year  sixty-seven  I  left  the  capital  with  a 
Mexican  force.  We  joined  the  balance  of  the  French 
troops,  about  ten  thousand  strong,  who  were  march 
ing  to  the  coast  on  Vera  Cruz. 

Scarcely  had  we  arrived  there  and  entered  the 
city  when  a  republican  force  put  in  an  appearance. 
•They  began  the  siege  of  the  town  at  once,  and  block 
aded  every  road  leading  to  the  interior. 

After  the  French  troops  had  sailed  for  Europe, 
we  remained  in  Vera  Cruz  with  about  twelve  hun 
dred  men,  in  order  to  hold  the  place  as  long  as 
possible  for  the  Imperialist  party. 

We  held  the  city  to  the  end  of  June,  repulsed 
all  attacks,  and  only  surrendered  after  we  had 
learned  from  American  newspapers  that  Queretaro 
had  been  taken  and  Maximilian  executed. 

During  the  siege,  which  lasted  a  little  over 
three  months,  Vera  Cruz  suffered  considerably,  and 
the  number  of  its  defenders  had  dwindled  to  less 
than  half. 

The  harbor,  with  the  fort  San  Juan  de  Ulua, 
remained,  of  course,  in  our  possession,  but  in  spite 
of  this  advantage,  most  of  the  necessaries  of  life 
became  at  last  so  scarce,  and  those  that  could  be 
obtained  so  costly  that  every  one  within  the  walls 
had  to  suffer  more  or  less. 

The  Republicans  bombarded  the  place  once  or 
twice  a  day,  and  that  it  was  not  transformed  into  a 
heap  of  ruins  was  due  only  to  the  bad  aim  of  the 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  215 

enemy's  gunners,  whose  projectiles  mostly  whistled 
over  our  heads,  and  plunged  harmlessly  into  the 
bay. 

Sorties  on  our  part  were  made  twice  a  week.. 
They  lasted  sometimes  all  forenoon,  and  although 
always  resulting  in  loss  of  life,  gained  us  no  advan 
tage. 

A  great  many  of  our  men  who  escaped  the 
enemy's  fire,  fell  victims  to  that  terrible  fever,  the 
vomito  negro,  which,  during  the  siege  of  Vera  Cruz, 
raged  a  most  dreadful  epidemic.  It  usually  proved 
fatal  within  a  few  hours,  and  people  who  in  the 
morning  rose  well  and  strong  were  often  by  noon 
safe  under  the  ground. 

Nature  has  furnished  me  with  a  strong  consti 
tution,  but  all  during  the  siege  of  Vera  Cruz  I  was 
never  quite  well.  I  was  obliged  to  have  recourse 
to  quinine  and  bitter  salt  every  day,  and  if  for  one 
day  I  neglected  to  swallow  my  dose,  the  rush  of 
blood  to  my  head,  which  surely  followed  the  omis 
sion,  gave  it  the  sensation  of  being  on  the  point  of 
bursting.  One  evening  I,  too,  was  seized  with  an 
attack  of  this  black  vomiting,  which,  however,  was 
checked  by  so-called  home  remedies  administered 
to  me  by  the  wife  of  our  colonel,  in  whose  house  I 
lived. 

Social  life  in  Vera  Cruz  during  the  siege  was 
in  many  respects  very  pleasant  and  enjoyable.  We 
became  acquainted  with  many  Mexican  families,  in 
whose  hospitable  houses  we  spent  many  a  happy 


216  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

and  delightful  hour.  Dancing  and  musical  enter 
tainments  were  quite  frequent,  but  often  they  were 
interrupted  and  brought  to  a  sudden  termination  by 
the  distant  booming  of  the  cannon,  and  the  whistling 
and  bursting  of  the  enemy's  shells  overhead. 

On  the  walls  of  Vera  Cruz  we  had  mounted 
about  sixty  cannon,  but  dating  as  they  did  from 
former  centuries,  they  were  liable  to  do  just  as 
deadly  work  to  friend  as  to  foe.  One  cannon 
exploded  on  one  occasion,  and  tore  half  a  dozen  of 
our  Spanish  artillery  men  to  pieces, 

The  news  that  Maximilian  had  been  captured 
and  executed  came  to  us  first  by  way  of  America, 
and  when,  a  few  days  later,  the  besieging  general 
sent  us  Mexican  papers,  confirming  the  complete 
downfall  of  the  Imperialist  cause,  we  agreed  to  his 
proposal  to  surrender.  An  instrument  stipulating 
the  terms  of  capitulation  was  drawn  up,  and  was  to 
have  been  signed  on  the  following  morning.  But 
during  the  night  our  commanding  officers,  the  corn- 
isario,  the  Prefecto,  and  with  them  the  war  chest, 
containing  funds  to  the  amount  of  about  a  million 
of  dollars,  disappeared. 

A  French  corvette  had  left  the  harbor  under 
cover  of  darkness,  with  these  wretches  aboard,  and 
carried  them  to  a  foreign  country,  where,  probably, 
they  have  since  enjoyed  the  fruit  of  their  treachery 
and  dishonesty. 

When  the  news  of  their  escape  reached  the 
public,  the  greatest  excitement  and  exasperation 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  217 

prevailed.  During  the  first  outburst  it  was  thought 
that  the  besieging  general  had  made  common  cause 
with  them,  for  which  he  ought  to  be  called  to 
account  and  punished. 

Our  artillery  men,  mostly  composed  of  Euro 
pean  Spaniards,  made  ready  their  cannon,  and 
began  to  throw  shot  and  shell  into  the  enemy's 
camp  again.  Without  knowing  what  might  have 
happened  in  Vera  Cruz,  the  besieging  force  seemed 
at  first  rather  puzzled,  but  finally  they  loaded  their 
guns  and  returned  the  compliment. 

The  cannon  on  our  walls,  when  in  full  activity, 
fairly  shook  the  little  town,  and  the  enemy's  shells, 
which  with  deadly  effect  exploded  in  the  streets  and 
within  or  upon  the  roofs  of  the  houses,  terrified  the 
inhabitants  to  such  an  extent  that  no  one  dared  to 
move  out  of  doors.  They  had  thought  the  siege 
finished,  all  the  horrors  of  war  at  an  end,  and  con 
sequently  felt  more  than  astonishedJio  find  hostili 
ties  renewed. 

To  prevent  Vera  Cruz  from  becoming  a  heap 
of  ashes,  at  noon  of  that  day  the  most  influential 
citizens  of  the  city  appeared  before  our  new  com 
mandant,  and  made  him  a  proposition  to  stop  the 
cannonade  and  withdraw  his  forces  from  the  town. 

After  a  short  deliberation  their  proposition  was 
accepted,  and  the  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  as  far  as  we 
were  concerned,  at  an  end. 

It  cost  the  people  of  Vera  Cruz  a  large  amount 
of  money  to  get  rid  of  us,  but  as  usual  in  such 


218  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

cases,  the  ransom  or  indemnity  was  not  as  fairly 
divided  as  it  should  have  been.  Generals  and  com 
manders,  numbering  many  more  than  necessary  for 
an  army  twenty  times  as  large  as  our  little  band, 
took  all  the  fat  for  themselves,  and  left  but  the  thin 
watery  broth  for  officers  and  men. 

The  Mexican  man-of-war  Tabasco,  a  miserable 
little  tub  of  four  hundred  tons,  formerly  the  prop 
erty  of  a  Mexican  shipping  house,  was  furnished  to 
transport  us  to  the  United  States.  In  the  shortest 
time  possible  she  was  coaled,  provisioned,  and  as 
boon  as  everything  was  in  readiness,  the  foreign 
troops  and  some  Mexican  officers  of  high  rank, 
numbering  in  all  about  three  hundred  and  fifty 
men,  embarked  and  sailed  for  Mobile,  Alabama. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

The  twenty-seventh  day  of  June  was  the  date 
of  our  departure,  and  surely  the  memory  of  that 
day  will  ever  dwell  in  the  minds  of  those  who  were 
present. 

Before  day  dawn  we  assembled  in  our  barracks, 
and  marched  in  a  mournful  procession  through  the 
streets  of  the  little  town,  which  we  had  defended  so 
long  and  so  bravely.  With  moisted  eyes  and  sadly 
depressed  hearts  we  were  leaving,  perhaps  for  ever, 
a  place  within  whose  walls  we  had  spent,  in  the 
society  of  amiable  Mexican  families,  so  many  happy 
and  delightful  hours.  Although  it  was  scarcely  day 
break  the  windows  and  balconies  of  the  houses  on 
our  route  were  crowded  with  Mexican  matrons  and 
maidens  ;  they  showered  us  with  flowers,  waved 
their  handkerchiefs,  and  wished  us  a  hearty 
farewell. 

Immediately  apon  our  arrival  at  the  landing 
place  we  embarked,  and  a  few  hours  later  we  were 
on  our  way  north.  Shortly  before  we  left  the 
anchor  ground  the  Republican  forces  marched 
into  Vera  Cruz,  and  we  could  see  the  Imperial 
flag  torn  down  and  replaced  by  the  victorious 
Republican  banner. 

Our  voyage  to  Mobile  was  rather  tiresome,  and 
in  some  respects  troublesome.  It  took  us  fully  seven 

(219) 


220  TRAVEL,    ETC.  • 

days  to  run  a  distance  of  not  quite  one  thousand 
miles. 

We  had  the  finest  weather  possible  all  the  time, 
otherwise  I  do  not  know  what  would  have  become 
of  us  and  our  old  coal  barge. 

The  hold  of  the  vessel  was  filled  with  coals, 
boxes,  barrels  and  sacks,  and  the  cabin  and  state 
rooms  were  so  small  that  scarcely  the  tenth  part  of 
us  could  have  found  accommodation  in  them.  There 
fore,  the  deck  was  the  only  spot  where  the  bulk  of 
us  quartered.  We  lay  there  in  the  most  democratic 
equality,  and  packed  so  closely  together  that  at 
night,  if  one  turned  over,  he  could  not  avoid  waking 
his  neighbors  on  either  side.  Heavy  showers  of 
rain,  drenching  us  to  the  skin,  surprised  us  every 
few  moments.  But  we  could  do  nothing  but  grin 
and  bear  it,  and  await  with  what  patience  we  might 
for  the  sun  to  dry  us  again. 

Dried  salt-codfish,  worm-eaten  biscuit,  and 
stone-hard  Edam  cheese  were  the  only  food  we  had, 
and  as  the  water  on  board  was  bad,  and  so  scarce 
that  the  allowance  to  each  man  was  not  sufficient  to 
quench  the  thirst  that  our  dry,  salt  food  engendered, 
the  temper  of  almost  every  one  on  board  showed 
itself  in  a  not  very  favorable  light. 

As  everything  in  the  world  must  have  an  end, 
so  did  our  voyage.  Dangers  and  privations  were 
soon  forgotten  as  we  came  in  sight  of  the  American 
coast,  and,  as  a  little  later,  we  passed  the  last  arm 
of  the  Mississippi,  and  steamed  into  the  Bay  of 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  221 

Mobile,  no  one  thought  of  his  past  troubles,  but 
only  in  what  way  he  could  best  amuse  himself  in 
Dixie-land. 

At  the  entrance  to  the  bay,  just  opposite  Fort 
Morgan,  we  anchored  to  await  the- sanitary  author 
ities,  and,  when  they  arrived,  they  were  informed 
that  some  deaths  had  occurred  during  the  voyage, 
but  that,  at  present,  every  one  aboard  was  in  good 
health.  They  left  us  with  instructions  to  remain 
at  anchor  until  we  were  advised  as  to  our  future 
disposition. 

But  the  turbulent  fellows  aboard  the  Tabasco 
could  not  be  thus  easily  controlled.  Such  authority 
as  that  could  not  keep  them  aboard  ship  when  they 
wanted  to  go  ashore.  So  they  forced  the  captain  to 
heave  anchors,  start  his  engines  and  continue  on 
his  way  to  Mobile. 

Two  shots  from  the  fort  were  fired  from  behind 
us,  but,  as  they  did  not  hit  the  target,  they  saved 
their  powder  and  ball  and  we  steamed  ahead  for 
the  city. 

In  the  afternoon  we  reached  Mobile,  anchored 
in  the  stream,  and  made  preparation  for  at  once 
leaving  the  vessel.  On  shore,  a  great  throng  had 
gathered,  which,  as  boat-load  after  boat-load  landed 
on  American  soil,  greeted  them  with  cheers  and 
jubilations.  It  was,  without  doubt,  a  strangly  impres 
sive  sight  to  see  this  little  body  of  men  grouped 
together  on  shore,  dressed  out  in  gay  and  glittering, 
but  soiled  and  torn  uniforms,  and  among  them 


222       .  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

representatives  of  almost  every  country  in  Europe, 
and  of  a  good  many  African  districts  also.  It  was  a 
scene  which,  from  its  novelty,  will  long  remain 
fresh  in  the  memories  of  the  inhabitants  of  Mobile. 

The  military  officers,  stationed  at  Mobile,  stood 
on  the  embankment  of  the  river  and  saluted  their 
sun-burned  Mexican  camrades  in  the  kindest  way, 
giving  them  a  most  hearty  welcome  to  American 
soil. 

Tfhe  reception  by  the  Southern  people  of  the 
remnants  of  the  defeated  Imperialist  party  was  a 
very  hearty  one.  Every  one  did  his  best  to  be  oblig 
ing,  and  to  make  our  stay  with  them  as  pleasant 
and  comfortable  as  possible. 

Proclamations  in  French  and  Spanish  wrere 
posted  in  the  streets,  saying  that  the  Police  Depart 
ment  would  cheerfully  give  any  kind  of  informa 
tion  and  take  care  of  money,  arms  and  other  effects 
wre  might  have.  The  newspapers  said  the  same, 
and  were  high  in  their  praise  of  the  behavior  of 
the  men,  pointing  out  at  the  same  time  the  hard 
ships  the  Imperial  officers  and  soldiers  had  suffered. 

The  South  sympathized  at  that  time  more  or 
less  with  Maximilian  and  his  party,  and  treated  us 
almost  as  brothers  in  adversity.  Like  themselves, 
we,  too,  had  fought  for  the  sake  of  slavery  and 
tyranny,  and  like  themselves,  we,  too,  had  received 
the  well-deserved  punishment  from  the  overwhelm 
ing  strength  of  Republicanism. 

After  a  rest  of   fourteen    days    in  the  State  of 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  223 

Alabama,  I  went,  in  company  with  a  Spanish  artil 
lery  officer,  by  way  of  New  Orleans,  Saint  Louis  and 
Chicago,  to  New  York,  where  my  companion 
embarked  for  Spain,  leaving  me  on  this  side  of  the 
ocean.  The  trip,  especially  that  part  of  it  from 
New  Orleans  to  Saint  Louis,  on  board  one  of  those 
luxuriously  furnished  paddle-wheel  steamers,  was 
delightful  and  the  natural  scenery  really  grand. 

When  at  East  Saint  Louis  we  stepped  into  an 
elegant  sleeping-car,  my  companion  did  not  at  first 
know  what  to  say.  He  had  expected  to  find  Euro 
pean  torture-cars  and  European  baby-wagons,  and 
therefore  could  scarcely  understand  that  even  in 
this  respect  Young  America  was  at  least  half  a  cen 
tury  ahead  of  the  Old  World. 

The  kind  and  generous  treatment  that  in  the 
South  was  shown  to  us  changed  more  and  more  as 
further  north  and  east  we  came.  It  seemed  as  if 
the  people  here  looked  upon  us  with  contempt,  and 
as  if  they  would  give  us  to  understand  that  we 
ought  to  be  ashamed  of  ourselves  for  having  fought 
to  uphold  slavery,  and  for  the  interest  of  a  hard 
hearted,  ambitious  despot. 

In  a  trunk,  which  on  my  departure  from  New 
York  for  Mexico  I  had  left  in  that  city,  I  had  still 
several  suits  of  civilian's  clothes.  I  therefore 
changed  my  uniform  for  one  as  soon  as  I  could,  and 
was  glad  not  to  attract  any  more  attention. 

When  I  left  Vera  Cruz  I  had  a  few  hundred 
dollars  in  my  possession.  But  this  sum  did  not  last 


224  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

me  very  long,  and  disappeared  faster  than  was  alto 
gether  agreeable.  Consequently,  after  a  briefly- 
enjoyed  holiday,  I  had  to  turn  to  work  again. 

One  day  I  noticed  in  the  "want  columns"  of  a 
daily  paper  that  an  uptown  family  wanted  a  coach 
man.  I  knew  New  York  sufficiently  well,  was 
accustomed  to  the  care  and  use  of  horses,  not  inex 
perienced  in  the  handling  of  carriages,  and  thought 
to  try  my  luck  for  a  while  in  this  line  of  work. 

Next  morning  I  called  at  the  address  given, 
and  was  informed  by  the  servants  that  the  Gracious 
Master  Baron  could  not  be  seen  at  such  an  early 
hour.  I  waited,  opened  a  conversation  with  them, 
and  found  them  willing  enough  to  give  me  some 
information  concerning  the  peculiarities,  as  I 
thought,  of  my  future  employer.  Five  servants,  all 
Germans,  were  there,  of  which  two  belonged  to  the 
female  sex.  Notwithstanding  that  we  had  been 
acquainted  only  for  a  few  minutes,  they  told  me 
a  great  many  things  about  the  haughtiness  and 
ignorant  assumption  of  their  aristocratic  employers, 
and  joked  in  such  a  way  about  them  that  a  contin 
uous  laughing  was  kept  up. 

They  told  me  that  the  Baron  belonged  to  the 
tribe  of  Israel ;  that  some  years  ago,  while  short  of 
means,  he  came  from  abroad  ;  that  money  and  influ 
ence  had  bought  him  a  title  there,  and  that  he 
insisted,  that  just  as  in  his  benighted  native  coun 
try,  the  same  servile  submissiveriess  should  be 
bestowed  upon  him  here  in  America.  They  further 


Til  A  VEL,    ETC.  225 

• 
told  me  that  his  wife  aft  el  daughter  insisted  upon 

being  treated  with  the  same  show  of  abasement; 
that  from  pride  and  vanity  they  were  actually  offen 
sive,  and  could  hardly  contain  themselves  ;  that  the 
domestics  were  changed  frequently,  and  that  those 
who  could  not,  or  would  not,  condescend  to  contin 
ually  cringe,  stoop  and  bow  were  dismissed  at  once. 

Provided  with  such  valuable  information,  I 
was  at  last  led  into  a  room  where  the  aristocratic 
Baron  received  common,  low-standing  people,  like 
myself.  A  little,  well-fattened  fellow,  dressed  in 
silk,  and  hung  with  diamonds,  came  towards  me, 
and  at  once  commenced  a  conversation,  in  the  Ber 
lin-Jewish  dialect,  concerning  his  yesterday's  adver 
tisement. 

Regarding  wages  and  the  duties  of  my  position 
we  soon  came  to  an  understanding,  and  I  was  about 
taking  my  leave  to  go  and  fetch  my  trunk  when  he 
finally  said,  "  But  you  will  have  to  call  me  Gracious 
Sir,  and  my  wife  and  daughter  Gracious  Ladies, 
and  on  our  leaving  or  entering  the  carriage  you 
must  take  off  your  hat  and  keep  it  in  your  hand 
till  the  carriage  door  is  closed." 

Smiling,  I  had  listened  to  him  at  first,  but  now 
I  could  not  restrain  myself  any  longer  and  laughed 
outright  in  his  face.  I  told  him  that  here  in  this 
free  and  enlightened  country,  fortunately,  such 
humbuggery  was  not  known,  and  that  he  had  better 
throw  his  titles  and  other  make-believe  stuff  straight 
into  the  gutter. 

TRAVEL    15 


226  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

But  when  I  began  to  tell  him  the  truth  he  felt 
that  his  dignity  had  been  insulted.  He  puffed  him 
self  up  like  a  toad,  he  hissed  with  rage  like  a  snake, 
and  cried,  "  You  say  Baron  is  humbug,  titles  are 
hocus-pocus,  you  mean,  insolent  fellow,  you  get  out 
of  here,  or — "  He  intended  to  push  me  out  of  the 
door,  and,  while  doing  so,  my  hands  came  into 
collision  with  his  face,  broke  his  eye-glasses,  and 
drew  a  little  claret  from  his  aristocratically-hooked 
nose. 

He  ran  back  to  the  middle  of  the  room  and 
cried  like  a  madman  :  "  He  wants  to  murder  me — 
Charley,  Wilhelm,  Mary,  Johanna,  come  up,  knock 
him  down,  kill  him,  throw  him  out  of  the  house." 
Those  to  whom  he  called  did  not  come,  but,  in 
their  stead,  his  wife  and  daughter  appeared  on 
the  scene,  who,  as  they  saw  the  gracious  baron 
besmeared  with  blood,  thought  it  best  to  go  down 
in  fainting  fits. 

When  I  arrived  below  stairs  the  servants  could 
not  contain  themselves  for  laughter.  They  embraced 
me,  squeezed  my  hands,  and  thought  that  "  letters 
of  nobility"  of  this  kind,  administered  twice  a  week 
to  this  gracious  baron,  would  soon  bring  the  old 
fool  to  his  senses. 

Like  so  many  other  titled  personages,  it  was 
simply  for  the  sake  of  money  that  these  people 
came  to  America.  On  account  of  their  small  cash 
supply  they  could  not  live  in  Europe  in  such  style 
as  they  would  have  liked  to,  and,  therefore,  thought 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  227 

that  in  this  country  they  might  find  a  better  oppor 
tunity  to  scrape  a  fortune  together. 

Besides,  these  adventurers  often  find  a  chance 
to  marry  their  empty  title  to  the  full  money  bags  of 
an  ambitious,  but  foolish  and  short-sighted  Amer 
ican  girl,  and  accept  her  as  the  fifth  wheel  of  a 
coach. 

Those  title-hunting  American  girls,  and  their 
unpatriotic  American  parents  are  flattered  and 
consider  it  the  greatest  possible  honor  to  form  the 
connection  with  these  blue-blooded  husbands  and 
sons-in-law,  whose  reputations  and  moral  standing 
are,  in  most  cases,  of  the  very  lowest,  although 
perfectly  sure  that  their  American  money  will  be 
squandered  in  gambling,  drinking,  or — in  company 
with  other  women. 

During  the  ensuing  time  I  lived  in  New  York 
I  was  employed  as  driver  and  conductor  on  differ 
ent  street  car  lines.  The  life  was  very  monotonous 
and  about  the  same  as  the  lives  of  drivers  and  con 
ductors  of  to-day,  the  only  difference  being  that 
then  the  wages  were  higher  and  the  money  col 
lected  less  carefully  looked  after. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

At  last  I  became  tired  of  the  life  in  New  York, 
and  concluded  to  put  into  effect  my  former  intention 
of  going  to  South  America. 

I  went  first  to  St.  Thomas,  where  a  little  later  I 
got  a  place  as  steward  on  the  West  India  steamer 
Columbia.  On  board  of  this  old,  decrepit,  but,  at 
the  same  time,  very  comfortable  vessel,  I  remained 
several  months,  and  led  a  very  pleasant  life. 

The  Columbia  carried  mail,  freight  and  pas 
sengers  between  the  different  islands  of  the  Little 
Antilles,  along  the  coast,  and  up  and  down  the 
rivers  of  Venezuela  and  Nueva  Granada.  She 
called  at  lots  of  different  ports,  and  the  passengers, 
who  came  and  went  continuously,  kept  the  five 
stewards  on  board  always  at  work. 

One  morning  we  left  Angostura  on  the  Ori 
noco,  and  steamed  with  freight  and  a  number  of 
passengers  to  Para,  in  Brazil.  The  emotion  with 
which  I  was  seized,  as  after  a  journey  of  six  days 
we  entered  the  south-east  arm  of  the  largest  river 
in  the  world,  will  ever  remain  fresh  in  my  memory. 
The  dreams  of  my  childhood  lay  now  in  reality 
before  me  as  the  splendor  of  tropical  shore  scenery 
moved  panorama-like  slowly  before  my  eyes. 

My  intention  of  leaving  the  vessel  and  remain 
ing  for  a  while  near  the  shores  of  this  grand  and 

(2?8) 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  229 

imposing  river,  was  to  be  realized  sooner  than  I 
expected.  A  few  days  after  our  arrival  at  Para  I 
went  ashore  with  our  chief  steward  one  morning, 
and,  after  having  arranged  some  business  matters, 
we  strolled  about  in  the  vicinity. 

On  one  of  the  beautiful  promenades,  shaded  by 
palm  and  tamarind  trees,  sat  a  young  lady.  She 
was  occupied  with  needle-work,  watching  at  the 
same  time  two  little  children  playing  about  her. 
We  passed,  raised  our  hats,  according  to  the  style  of 
polite  Southerners,  and  went  our  way.  The  manner 
in  which  she  responded  to  our  salutation,  and  in 
which,  out  of  a  pretty  face,  a  pair  of  black,  sad- 
looking  eyes  gazed  upon  us,  was  so  bewitching  that 
my  mind  at  once  became  disturbed. 

Without  betraying  my  feelings  to  the  steward, 
I  asked  permission  to  stay  on  shore  a  few  hours 
longer,  and,  on  it  being  granted,  I  hurried  back  to 
the  place  where  my  unknown  lady  friend  languished 
in  solitude  and  loneliness. 

I  went  to  her,  commenced  under  some  clumsy 
pretext  a  conversation,  and,  as  I  saw  that  my  bold 
ness  was  not  resented,  I  remained  in  her  society  till 
her  little  protegees  asked  to  be  taken  home.  With 
an  agreement  to  meet  on  the  following  day,  I  took 
my  leave  of  this  charming  creature. 

When  I  found  that  on  board  they  would  not 
consent  to  my  leaving  the  vessel,  I  made  up  my 
mind  to  desert  her.  I  had  still  some  twenty  dollars 
coming  to  me,  but  I  renounced  it  willingly,  and 


230  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

would  have  left  even  my  personal  property  behind 
if  I  could  not  have  managed  otherwise.  With  the 
assistance  of  a  sailor,  during  the  following  night,  I 
slipped  down  a  line,  jumped  into  a  canoe  and 
paddled  ashore. 

My  new  acquaintance  and  I  soon  became  inti 
mate  friends.  She  told  me  her  history,  concealing 
nothing  in  her  past  life,  and  became,  therefore, 
most  dearly  beloved  by  me. 

The  daughter  of  a  high  Brazilian  Government 
official,  she  was  disowned  by  her  parents,  because  a 
rascal  deceived  her,  and  failed  to  keep  his  prom 
ised  troth. 

Expelled  from  her  home  and  driven  into  the 
street,  this  poor,  inexperienced  girl  at  first  knew 
not  what  to  do.  With  the  little  money  she  had  in 
her  possession  she  paid  her  fare  to  Para,  where  she 
gave  music  and  singing  lessons,  and  a  little  later 
accepted  a  situation  as  governess  in  a  wealthy  Bra 
zilian  family. 

After  I  left  the  vessel  she  gave  up  her  situation, 
and  we  took  apartments  together  living  as  man  and 
wife.  We  talked  of  love  and  happiness,  and,  our 
ideas  being  the  same,  pictured  a  future  of  the 
brightest  hues. 

During  the  time  we  remained  on  the  shores  of 
the  Amazon,  with  the  exception  of  each  other,  we 
scarcely  thought  of  anything  else.  Surrounded  by 
the  natural  beauties  of  this  charming  part  of  the 
world,  we  enjoyed  felicity  and  happiness  of  love  to 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  231 

its  fullest  extent.  The  delicious  days,  which,  in 
company  with  my  beloved  Lola,  I  spent  there,  will 
always  recall  with  pleasure  the  time  of  my  youthful 
manhood. 

'  I  do  not  know  what  might  have  become  of  me 
and  my  desire  of  travel,  had  not  relentless  death 
snatched  my  adorable  Lola  from  me.  With  the 
intention  of  settling  down  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  we 
left  the  romantic  shores  of  the  Amazon  one  day.  A 
few  days  after  our  departure  my  companion  began 
to  feel  ill.  She  complained  of  pain  in  her  head,  in 
the  joints  of  her  limbs,  and  between  Bahia  and  Rio 
became  so  weak  and  faint  that  she  was  forced  to 
remain  in  bed. 

According  to  the  wish  of  my  intended  bride,  I, 
upon  our  arrival  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  hurried  at  once 
to  the  house  of  her  parents.  I  met  the  mother, 
handed  her  a  few  lines  from  her  daughter,  telling 
her  at  the  same  time  her  wishes. 

Overpowered  by  the  emotion  of  joy  in  finding 
her  daughter,  whom  she  thought  lost  and  forlorn, 
so  near  her,  she  broke  down  completely.  She  cried, 
sobbed,  and  repeated  in  endearing  terms  the  name 
of , her  child.  Other  children  came  into  the  room, 
and,  upon  being  told  that  their  sister  was  living, 
threw  their  arms  around  their  mother's  neck  and 
seemed  to  share  her  happiness. 

Shortly  after  the  parents  had  shown  the  door 
to  their  daughter,  their  consciences  began  to  reproach 
them.  They  felt  that  they  had  acted  neither  justly 


232  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

nor  charitably,  and  longing  to  repair  the  wrong, 
searched  and  made  enquiries  all  over  the  country, 
but  without  finding  any  trace  of  her. 

A  carriage  stood  at  the  doorway  ;  the  mother,  a 
grown-up-daughter  and  myself  stepped  in,  drove  to 
the  harbor,  took  my  cruelly  treated  girl  from  her 
stateroom,  and  brought  her  to  her  home,  which  she 
had  not  seen  for  over  a  year. 

The  joy  of  seeing  her  mother,  and  the  blessed 
knowledge  of  forgiveness  and  love,  caused  an  excite 
ment  which  aggravated  her  condition. 

Medical  assistance  and  the  kindest  and  most 
unremitting  attentions  were  of  no  avail  in  arresting 
the  course  of  the  disease. 

On  the  morning  of  the  third  day  after  we 
brought  her  home  she  expired,  and  those  eyes,  in 
which  I  had  so  often  seen  my  only  delight  and 
happiness,  were  closed  forever.  The  grief  and 
desperation  of  all  those  who  stood  about  the  cold 
and  lifeless  form  of  my  departed  Lola,  who  even 
in  death  was  so  beautiful,  is  almost  impossible  to 
describe. 

Rio  de  Janeiro,  with  its  woriflerful  surround 
ings,  is  a  perfect  paradise,  but,  unfortunately,  I  was 
in  no  mood  to  enjoy  it  as  otherwise  I  surely  would 
have  done.  Brooding  over  my  loss,  of  which  I  had 
been  deprived  in  so  cruel  a  manner,  I  took  no  inter 
est  in  anything,  and  often  felt  so  despondent  that 
self-destruction  seemed  the  only  relief  to  my  misery. 
But  youth,  and  love  of  life,  decided  differently. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  233 

Sitting  in  a  cafe"  in  the  Rua  Direita  one  morn 
ing,  I  saw,  passing  on  the  other  side  of  the  street,  a 
gentleman  in  the  well-worn  uniform  of  a  Mexican 
artillery  officer.  I  rose,  followed,  and  addressed 
him,  and  was  pleasantly  surprised  to  find  in  him  a 
companion  in  arms  of  the  Mexican  campaign.  We 
sat  together,  talked  over  old  times,  scenes  and 
adventures  in  Mexico,  and  soon  became  friends. 

He  was  a  Frenchman,  a  few  years  older  than 
myself,  and  came,  as  a  lieutenant  under  Bazaine,  to 
Mexico.  When  the  French  troops  were  withdrawn 
he  remained,  and  joined  a  Mexican  regiment.  At 
the  fall  of  the  capital  he  was  taken  prisoner,  and 
with  the  rest  of  hi3  companions  in  captivity,  sent  to 
New  Orleans,  from  whence  he  found  his  way  down 
to  Brazil. 

When  I  met  him  he  had  been  but  a  few  days 
in  the  city,  and  was  so  short  of  money  that  he 
could  hardly  afford  himself  one  meal  a  day.  Being 
in  far  better  circumstances  than  he,  I  felt  glad  that 
I  was  able  to  assist  him  and  relieve  him  of  a  por 
tion  of  his  cares.  I  invited  him  to  live  with  me, 
and  offered  to  share,  during  the  time  we  should  be 
together,  my  lot  with  him. 

His  intention  was  to  join  the  Brazilian  army 
against  Lopez  in  Paraguay,  and,  in  order  to  carry 
out  this  project,  he  desired  an  interview  with  the 
emperor.  Merely  for  the  sake  of  curiosity  to  make 
Pom  Pedro's  acquaintance  myself,  I  joined  in  with 
his  scheme,  under  the  pretext  of  a  similar  intention. 


234  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

One  afternoon  we  both  took  the'  road  to  Sao 
Cristovao,  where  Dom  Pedro,  twice  a  week,  gave 
audience  to  any  one  anxious  to  see  him.  We  passed 
the  halberdiers  on  guard  at  the  entrance  to  the 
palace,  and  were  escorted  by  green-swallow-tailed 
lackeys  to  the  audience  chamber  of  the  Brazilian 
sovereign. 

A  little  later,  the  emperor,  in  evening  dress, 
wearing  some  small  orders  pinned  on  the  lapels  of 
his  coat,  appeared  on  the  scene.  As  I  stood  nearest 
to  the  entrance  he  first  came  towards  me,  and 
offered  me,  according  to  the  custom  of  Catholic 
potentates,  his  hand  to  kiss. 

Now,  I  have  never  objected  to  kiss  the  hand  of 
a  woman,  but  to  kiss  the  hand  of  a  man  I  considered 
beneath  my  dignity. 

Smilingly  I  gazed  into  his  face,  without  paying 
any  attention  to  the  honor  which  he  intended  to 
confer  upon  me.  He  noticed  my  intention,  and  I 
think,  rather  mortified,  drew  his  hand  back. 

My  petition  for  being  permitted  to  join  the 
Brazilian  army  against  Lopez,  he  answered  shortly 
by  saying  that  I  would  have  to  apply  to  his  minister 
of  war  for  that.  Without  condescending  to  waste 
a  further  look,  he  turned  his  back  upon  me  and 
addressed  himself  to  my  companion.  He,  reared 
under  the  iron  rod  of  the  third  Napoleon,  not  seeing 
anything  whatever  degrading  orhumilating  in  such 
an  act,  bent  his  knees,  pressed  a  juicy  kiss  on  Dom 
Pedro's  hand,  and  made  his  speech  also.  The 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  235 

answer  he  received  was  about  the  same  as  was 
vouchsafed  to  me,  save  that  the  emperor  assured 
him  that  he  would  speak  to  the  minister  of  war 
himself. 

The  emperor  then  on  his  behalf  extended  to 
him  the  privilege  of  kissing  his  hand  again,  and, 
ignoring  me  entirely,  disappeared  by  the  same  door 
through  which  he  had  come. 

For  a  little  while  we  looked  about  us  in  this 
sumptuous  palace,  and  then  returned  to  Eio  de 
Janeiro. 

Fourteen  days  later,  my  friend,  as  captain  in  a 
Brazilian  artillery  regiment,  embarked  to  the  seat 
of  war  in  Paraguay. 

During  my  residence  in  the  capital  of  Brazil  I 
did  brokering  and  bookkeeping,  and  by  the  time  I 
was  ready  to  leave  was  provided  with  everything 
necessary. 

I  went  by  way  of  Sao  Paulo,  Lages,  Port 
Alegre,  Rio  Grande  do  Sul,  to  Montevideo,  where 
I  arrived  after  a  most  interesting  journey  of  about 
150  days. 

The  scenery  of  those  countries  ^through  which 
I  passed  was  grand  and  wonderful,  and  so  fascinat 
ing  that  it  seems  impossible  to  be  ever  forgotten. 
The  most  vivid  imagination  fades  to  nothing  in 
comparison  with  the  splendor  of  nature,  which  in 
every  direction  was  displayed  before  my  eyes. 

The  dense,  impenetrable  forests  of  Sao  Paulo, 
Parana,  and  St?  Catarina,  the  extensive  campos  or 


236  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

rolling  prairies  of  the  Province  of  Rio  Grande  do 
Sul,  and  the  Republic  of  Uruguay,  the  mighty 
mountain  ranges,  and  the  labyrinth  of  streams  and 
rivers,  with  their  foaming  and  roaring  cascades  and 
cataracts,  made  an  impression  upon  me  which  will 
last  forever. 

During  my  long  and  solitary  journey  I  met 
with  dangers  and  privations  of  different  kinds,  but 
I  looked  at  them  as  matters  of  little  importance, 
naturally  thinking  that  he  who  wishes  to  enjoy  the 
splendors  of  our  world,  ought  not  to  be  discouraged 
by  such  obstacles  and  difficulties. 

I  took  only  those  things  along  which  my  horse, 
or,  in  case  of  necessity,  I  myself  could  carry,  and 
sent  the  rest  of  my  goods  in  *a  little  trunk  around 
the  Horn  to  Valparaiso. 

Horses  and  mules  I  rode  during  my  journey 
by  dozens.  Prices  in  the  interior  were  so  insig 
nificant  that  very  often  for  three  or  four  dollars  I 
could  buy  the  strongest  and  finest  animals.  Some 
times  I  exchanged  them  for  fresh  ones,  paying  a 
little  to  boot,  and  at  others,  when  I  could  not  do  so, 
and  they  were  tired  and  ridden  sore,  I  gave  them 
their  liberty.  About  half  a  dozen  I  lost  by  disease, 
or  in  crossing  rivers,  and  then  often  I  had  to  travel 
for  days  afoot. 

One  horse  I  lost  in  the  whirlpool  of  a  cataract, 
and  with  it,  saddle,  blankets,  sheepskins,  lasso,  and 
everything  on  its  back.  I  myself  was  saved  in  an 
almost  miraculous  manner,  and  full  of  water,  and 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  237 

drenched  to  the  skin,  I  could  only  fetch  ashore  what 
was  fastened  to  my  body. 

Without  meeting  a  human  being  I  traveled 
afoot  for  many  days,  after  that  accident,  living 
upon  roots  and  the  bottoms  of  the  stalks  of  pampas 
grass,  and  in  consequence  of  the  cold  nights  I  spent 
a  very  miserable  time.  At  the  first  estanzia  I  came 
to  I  provided  myself  with  the  most  necessary  things 
before  I  continued  on  my  journey. 

In  the  interior  of  the  country  I  very  often  lost 
my  way,  and  sometimes  it  took  days  before  I  could 
find  the  right  track  again. 

Once  in  a  while  I  fell  in  with  Troperos,  people 
who  drive  cattle  and  horses,  or  bring  country  pro 
ducts  from  one  place  to  another.  I  joined  them, 
studied  and  learned  the  customs  and  habits  of  those 
hardy,  pretenseless  and  sociable  country  people,  and 
remained  a  day  or  two 'in  their  company. 

Hospitality  among  the  Brazilian  estanzeiros  is 
universal.  Any  one  who  calls  upon  them  may  be 
sure  of  the  kindest  reception.  They  are  mostly 
wealthy,  and  in  possession  of  immense  tracts  of 
land.  Stock  breeding  and  raising  is  their  favorite 
occupation.  I  have  seen  stock  farmers  who  had  a 
hundred  thousand  cattle,  horses  and  mules,  ranging 
on  the  table  land  of  Brazil ;  and  grazing  on  the 
plains  of  Uruguay  far  more  than  half  a  million  of 
sheep. 

The  lives  of  these  land-owners  is  ndfc  inter 
spersed  with  much  luxury.  They  live  in  adobe 


238  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

huts,  and  in  low-roofed  wooden  cottages,  in  which 
but  little  furniture  is  to  be  found.  Like  many  'other 
natives  they  prefer  to  sleep  on  the  ground.  At  night 
raw  cow-hides  are  spread  on  the  floor,  upon  which 
they  make  down  their  beds. 

Their  food  is  very  plain,  and  consists  of  meat, 
black  beans,  flour,  made  from  manioc,  milk,  fruit, 
and  a  sort  of  squash.  Paraguay  tea,  or  mate,  they 
sip  like  most  of  the  South  American  people,  nearly 
all  the  time. 

Chatting,  gambling,  music,  singing  and  danc 
ing,  but  especially  riding,  in  which  art,  men  as  well 
as  women,  have  reached  a  marvelous  degree  of  per 
fection  are  their  amusements.  Elegant  riding  out 
fits,  richly  decorated  with  silver,  are  naturally  the 
hobby  of  those  daring  and  skillfull  horsemen  and 
women. 

Education  was  almost  unheard  of.  Reading  and 
writing  was  to  many  of  them  a  great  art,  and  of  the 
world  outside  the  borders  of  their  province,  they 
had  but  a  feeble  idea.  But  they  are  good-natured, 
hospitable,  brave  and  honest,  and  have  enough  to 
make  life  pleasant  and  enjoyable,  even  without 
knowledge  and  experience  of  the  world. 

Since  royalty — in  whose  interest  it  was  to  keep 
the  people  in  ignorance — has  been  driven  from 
Brazilian  soil,  it  may  have  changed  for  the  better, 
and  a  Brazilian  of  to-day  is,  perhaps,  quite  another 
man  fiftm  what  he  was  some  twenty-five  years  ago. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

After  my  arrival  in  Montevideo  I  rested  for  a 
while,  and  than  went  by  way  of  Buenos  Ayres, 
Rosario  to  Villa  Nueva,  from  whence  I  intended  to 
cross  the  continent  to  the  Pacific  Coast. 

But  a  great  many  unexpected  obstacles  delayed 
my  departure  for  a  considerable  length  of  time.  The 
winter  of  sixty-nine  was  a  very  severe  one  on  the 
southern  hemisphere,  and  the  immense  quantities 
of  snow  which  fell  in  the  Cordilleras  blocked  the 
passes  longer  than  usual. 

I  heard  about  this  from  natives  coming  from 
Mendoza,  that  before  November  one  wouid  hardly 
have  any  chance  to  cross  the  Andes. 

It  was  the  beginning  of  August  when  I  arrived 
at  Villa  Nueva,  and,  therefore,  although  I  traveled 
slowly,  I  would  still  have  to  wait  a  few  weeks  in 
Mendoza.  To  avoid  this,  and  at  the  same  time  to 
increase  my  cash  supply  a  little,  I  decided  to  accept 
any  kind  of  work  I  could  find.  An  opportunity  was 
soon  offered  me,  and  on  the  following  morning  I 
left  as  wood-chopper  for  Monte  de  Jucat,  a  pretty 
little  forest  in  the  vicinity  of  Villa  Nueva. 

The  distance  from  Rosario  to  Villa  Nueva  is 
about  fifty  leguas.  It  was  at  that  time  the  terminus 
of  the  Ferro-Carril-Central-Argentino,  a  railroad, 
built  by  an  English  Company.  For  use  of  extending 

(239) 


240  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

the  line  further  to  Cordoba  in  Monte  de  Jucat,  trees 
were  cut  down,  sawed  to  pieces,  and  prepared  for 
sleepers  and  stringers. 

Besides  two  English  engineers,  one  book-keeper 
and  a  few  overseers,  we  were  over  two  hundred 
wood-choppers,  who,  with  the  exception  of  about  a 
dozen  foreigners,  were  all  natives  of  Argentine. 

The  foreigners  lived  together  in  large  tents, 
and  the  natives  with  their  families  in  rotten,  half 
tumble-down  adobe  and  brush  huts,  beneath  the 
trees  of  the  forest.  We  worked  from  seven  in  the 
morning  until  five  o'clock  in  the  evening,  had  one 
hour  for  dinner,  and  as  we  were  not  overworked, 
found  no  cause  for  complaint. 

Life  as  it  appeared  to  me  there  was  quite  enjoy 
able,  in  some  respects  even  comfortable,  and  gave 
me  an  opportunity  to  study  the  bad  as  well  as  the 
pleasing  and  amusing  habits  of  the  natives  of  the 
Argentine  Eepublic. 

After  our  day's  work  we  enjoyed  ourselves  in 
recreation,  sometimes  strolling  about  in  the  neigh 
borhood,  visiting  the  families  of  our  native  com 
panions,  where  joy  and  merriment  could  always  be 
found. 

My  desire  to  see  Chili  drove  me  westward, 
otherwise  I  would  with  pleasure  have  remained  a 
little  longer.  I  took  leave  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Monte  de  Jucat,  went  to  Villa  Nueva,  drew  the 
money  due  me,  and  made  preparations  for  my 
journey.  . 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  241 

Provided  with  everything  I  needed,  I  started 
from,  the  village  and  reached  Mendoza  after  a  jour 
ney  of  about  thirty  days.  The  trip  across  the 
Argentine  Republic  was  very  interesting,  but  the 
scenery  is  in  no  way  comparable  with  the  grandly 
wonderful  sights  I  had  presented  to  me  in  Brazil. 
With  the  exception  of  the  Sierra  de  Cordoba  and 
the  Sierra  de  San  Luis,  the  whole  country  is  more 
or  less  a  level  plain,  which  on  account  of  its  monot 
ony  soon  lost  its  charm. 

Long,  coarse  pampas-grass;  slow -moving 
streams  and  rivers;  shallow,  dried-up  lakes,  bor 
dered  by  thickets  of  willows ;  bands  of  horses, 
cattle  and  sheep  ;  sometimes  rabbits  and  coyotes, 
and  once  in  a  while  a  filthy,  half-decayed  native 
adobe  hut,  was  about  all  I  saw  during  my  tedious 
trip  across  the  Pampas  Argentinas. 

Trees,  e^ven  brushwood,  were  entirely  unknown 
for  sometimes  a  whole  week.  I  always  liked  to 
spread  my  blankets  at  night  under  the  foliage  of 
some  tree,  but  here,  on  the  forsaken  and  deserted 
pampas,  I  was  obliged  to  do  without  trees.  Lying 
on  the  open  field  I  had  to  tie  the  end  of  the  lasso — 
the  loop  of  which  was  about  my  horse's  neck — to 
my  body,  to  prevent  the  animal's  escape  during  the 
night. 

The  two  mountain  ranges  I  had  to  cross  were 
of  course  an  exception  to  the  dull,  flat  monotony  of 
the  country.  They  seemed  splendid,  and  the  veg 
etation  which  covered  them  appeared,  after  the 

TKAVEL  15 


242  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

monotony  of  the  barren,  destitute   pampas,  perhaps 
even  more  exquisite  than  it  really  was. 

In  the  interior  of  those  scantily  populated 
countries,  where  one  may  journey  for  weeks  with 
out  seeing  a  hut  or  a  human  being,  a  traveler 
depends  upon  his  horse  or  mule  for  everything — 
even  for  society.  As  necessity  breeds  invention, 
the  inhabitants,  of  those  countries,  born  almost  in 
the  saddle,  have  invented  saddles  and  saddle  outfits 
which  enable  one  to  carry  everything  he  needs 
along  with  him. 

Knowing  from  my  experience  in  Brazil  the 
advantages  of  those  riding  outfits,  I  provided  myself 
with  them  where  and  whenever  I  could. 

In  the  morning,  when  saddling  and  packing 
for  the  start,  I  placed  three  or  four  dried  sheepskins 
upon  the  back  of  my  horse,  and  over  them  the 
saddle,  which  was  composed  simply  of  two  half- 
round  leathern  bolsters,  each  about  a  foot  long, 
placed  one  on  either  side  of  the  animal's  spine. 
Blankets  and  more  sheepskins  were  placed  on  top 
of  it,  the  whole  being  wrapped  snugly  together  by  a 
broad  leathern  girth  or  cinch,  which  was  drawn 
tightly  under  the  horse's  belly  ;  saddle-bag,  drink 
ing  horns,  lasso  and  dried  meat  were  fastened 
in  front  and  at  the  rear  of  the  saddle,  and  off  I 
went. 

Preparing  my  night  quarter,  I  used  the  sheep 
skins  as  mattress,  the  saddle  as  pillow,  poncho  and 
blankets  as  covering,  and  slept,  if  it  didn't  rain  or 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  243 

storm,  just  as  softly,  warmly  and  comfortably  as  if 
wrapped  in  the  finest  eiderdown  quilts. 

Drinking  horns  are  on  the  pampas,  where 
water  is  scarce,  of  the  greatest  necessity,  and  with 
out  them  a  good  many  people  would  perish  of  thirst. 
They  are  made  of  buffalo  horns,  closed  at  the  lower 
end,  and  the  larger  ones  will  hold  as  much  as  four 
gallons.  Two  of  them  are  fastened  together  by  a 
leathern  strap,  and  hung  over  the  back  of  the 
animal. 

The  food  a  traveler  in  those  countries  carries 
with  him,  when  on  the  road,  consists  of  meat,  dried 
in  the  sun  into  hard,  tough,  leather-like  stuff,  upon 
which  he  has  to  depend,  not  only  for  days,  but  at 
times  even  for  weeks.  If  my  meat  supply  became 
short,  I  bought  a  sheep  or  a  lamb  when  I  could,  for 
wrhich  I  paid  from  fifty  to  seventy-five  cents.  I 
killed  it,  cut  the  lean  part  into  strips,  threw  the  rest 
away,  tied  it  on  the  back  of  my  horse,  and  the  sun 
did  the  rest ;  thus,  for  a  number  of  days,  I  was  pro 
visioned  again. 

After  my  day's  journey  was  ended  I  built. a 
fire,  roasted  a  piece  of  meat,  used,  instead  of  salt,  a 
little  gunpowder,  and  drinking  water  with  it 
enjoyed  my  plain  but  tasty  meal  with  much  zest. 
If,  on  account  of  bad  weather,  I  could  not  kindle  a 
fire,  then  I  had  to  eat  the  meat  raw,  moistened  by 
the  rain  and  seasoned  with  the  animal's  perspi 
ration. 

On  the   bare   pampas  it  was  often  difficult  to 


244  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

find  enough  fuel  to  start  a  fire  with  in  the  evening, 
and  therefore  I  had  to  begin  in  the  morning  to  col 
lect  the  excrement  of  my  horse,  as  I  went  along,  to 
use  it  as  fuel  at  night. 

Such  a  life  was  very  interesting  to  me,  and 
equally  enjoyable  as  it  would  be  to  anyone  who 
takes  pleasure  in  traveling,  is  not  rather  particular 
in  regard  of  eating  and  drinking,  has  a  love  for 
nature,  and  a  good,  strong  constitution. 

Here  in  the  Argentine  Republic  I  at  times,  too, 
fell  in  with  Troperos  or  Arrieros.  These  men  are 
happy  and  contented,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  their 
life  is  a  continuous  succession  of  trials  and  hard 
ships. 

I  met  tropas  or  caravans  that  consisted  of  hun 
dreds  of  mules,  bringing  merchandise  from  one 
place  to  another.  Each  troop  has  its  patron  or  pro 
prietor,  with  his  peons  or  assistants.  One  peon, 
usually,  has  to  attend  to  twelve  or  fifteen  laden 
animals.  Every  mule  carries  a  load  of  about  two 
hundred  pounds,  which,  equally  divided  on  either 
side,  hangs  to  the  wooden  pack-saddles,  and  is 
lashed  with  leathern  thongs  to  the  bodies  of  the 
animals.  According  to  the  road  and  the  pasture 
found  on  the  way,  from  six  to  eight  leguas  per  day 
are  made,  and  once  in  seven  a  day  of  rest  is  taken 
for  the  animals  and  men. 

In  the  evening,  when  a  place  for  the  night's 
camp  is  selected,  loads  and  saddles  are  taken  off  the 
mules  and  they  are  turned  loose  and  left  to  them- 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  245 

selves.  They  are  led  by  a  mare  with  a  bell  hung 
about  her  neck,  the  sound  of  which  they  will  never 
stay  very  far  away  from.  A  few  riding-horses  are 
kept  tethered  in  the  camp.  Merchandise  and  pack- 
saddles  are  placed  in  a  circle,  inside  of  which  each 
one  makes  down  his  bed. 

A  boy,  whose  duty  it  is  to  ride  the  bell-mare 
and  attend  to  the  cooking,  prepares  supper.  He 
kindles  a  fire,  puts  on  a  pot  of  water,  into  which  he 
throws  pieces  of  meat  and  a  handful  of  salt,  and 
boils  it  into  a  soup.  When  this  mess  is  cooked  the 
men  group  around  the  pot  and  eat  and  drink  as 
they  like.  After  supper  every  one  lights  his 
cigarette,  sips  his  mate,  and  goes  to  bed. 

The  following  morning  the  boy  prepares  a 
caldo,  or  soup,  the  same  as  the  night  before.  The 
mules,  which  have  often  strayed  miles  away,  are 
rounded  up,  packed,  and  everything  ready  for  a 
start,  the  journey  is  continued. 

The  boy  on.  his  inadrina,  or  good  mother,  as  the 
bell-mare  is  called,  sets  out  in  front,  the  animals  in 
a  long  line  following,  while  the  patron  and  his 
peons  form  the  tail-end  of  the  procession.  The 
men  have  always  plenty  to  do.  Sometimes  a  mule, 
under  the  weight  of  its  burden,  breaks  down,  a  sad 
dle  and  a  load  get  out  of  position,  or  an  animal  runs 
away,  whenever  by  means  of  jumping,  kicking  or 
bucking  it  can  get  rid  of  its  burden. 

Troperos  whom  I  met  during  my  trip  across  the 
pampas,  were  mostly  Gauchos.  They  are  very 


246  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

sociable,  perfectly  natural  and  straight-forward^  but 
rather  ignorant,  dirty  and  superstitious. 

Cleanliness  is  not  considered  a  virtue  among 
the  country  people  of  South  America.  If  any  one 
thinks  he  cannot  put  up  with  such  habits,  then 
surely  he  had  better  stay  away  from  that  part  of  the 
world. 

About  two  days'  travel  from  Mendoza,  one 
evening  a  little  before  sunset,  I  came  in  sight  of  the 
Cordilleras.  It  was  a  grand  and  imposing  sight, 
and  created  an  enthusiasm  in  me  which  I  am 
utterly  unable  to  reproduce  on  paper.  The  many 
privations  of  my  solitary  journey  were  soon  for 
gotten  as  those  mighty  mountain  ranges,  veiled  in 
snow  and  ice,  loomed  up  in  the  west  before  me. 

As  I  came  nearer  to  Mendoza  the  more  over 
whelming  became  this  glorious  panorama,  which 
must  be  seen  to  be  appreciated. 

While  in  Mendoza  I  roomed  and  boarded  with 
a  native  family,  consisting  of  mother,  son  and  two. 
daughters.  They  had  a  beautiful  home  in  one  of 
the  suburbs,  and  during  the  time  I  was  there  I 
enjoyed  their  style  of  living  very  much. 

The  following  morning  after  my  arrival  I 
visited  the  ruins  of  old  Mendoza,  where,  during  the 
earthquake  of  '61,  over  ten  thousand  people  lost 
their  lives  in  such  a  dreadful  manner.  I  climbed 
over  the  ruins  of  that  once  charming  place,  now 
overgrown  with  trees  and  brushwood,  and  as  I 
reflected  upon  the  awful  fate  which  so  suddenly 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  247 

befell  its  unfortunate  inhabitants,  my  mood  was  a 
sadly  depressed  one. 

The  Mendoza  of  to-day  is  built  to  the  south  of 
the  old  town,  and  at  the  time  of  my  visit  was  a  very 
nourishing  and  beautiful  city.  I  have  seldom  seen 
any  place  which  for  romantic  situation  can  compare 
with  Mendoza.  It  lies  with  its  wonderful  surround 
ings  a  perfect  paradise  on  the  eastern  slopes  of  the 
Cordilleras,  where  it  extends  with  its  suburbs  for 
miles. 

Canals,  bordered  in  places  with  rose  bushes,  in 
which  the  snow-fed  waters  of  the  Cordilleras  flow 
swiftly,  cross  and  re-cross  the  city  and  suburbs  in 
every  direction. 

The  number  of  people  afflicted  with  goitre 
almost  immediately  attracted  my  attention.  I  have 
seen  this  disease  before  in  mountainous  districts, 
but  never  prevailing  to  such  an  extent  as  here, 
and  in  other  localities  of  the  Cordilleras.  Whether 
it  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  snow-water,  intermingled, 
perhaps,  with  particles  of  herbs,  or  to  some  other 
cause,  no  one  has  yet  determined. 

About  the  middle  of  November,  for  the  first 
time  in  nearly  six  months,  the  mail  arrived  from 
Chili  by  way  of  the  Cordilleras.  The  carriers  were 
Chilians,  accustomed  to  mountain  climbing,  hard 
ship  and  privation.  With  mountain  sticks  in  hand, 
and  mail-bags  strapped  to  their  backs,  they  had 
crossed  from  Santa  Rosa  de  los  Andes. 

I  consulted  with  them  as  to  the   condition  of 


248  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

the  road,  and  a  few  days  later  made  up  my  mind 
to  start  for  my  western  destination. 

The  prairie-bred  horse  which  I  had  brought 
along  with  me  I  sold,  and  bought  an  animal  foaled 
and  bred  in  the  mountains,  which  could  jump  and 
climb  almost  as  well  as  a  goat.  I  engaged  a  guide, 
and  one  morning  just  before  sunrise  we  left  beau 
tiful  Mendoza. 

A  journey  of  fourteen  days  brought  me  to 
Santa  Rosa  de  los  Andes,  a  distance  of  about  eighty 
leguas.  Traveling  for  days  at  a  stretch  over  snow 
and  ice,  in  a  forlorn  and  inhospitable  part  of  the 
world,  was  quite  a  novelty  to  me.  A  multitude  of 
magnificent  views  were,  of  course,  displayed  before 
my  eyes,  but  even  they  did  not  repay  me  sufficiently 
for  the  hardships  of  such  a  journey.  In  summer  it 
might  be  otherwise,  but  in  the  spring,  after  a  severe 
winter,  I  would  hesitate  to  cross  those  tremendous 
mountain  ranges  again. 

Besides  obstacles  and  privations  of  many  kinds, 
the  road  was  at  some  places  so  very  dangerous  that 
a  less  ardent  admirer  of  nature  than  I  surely  would 
have  turned  back  and  given  up  the  idea  of  crossing 
the  Cordilleras. 

Without  a  guide  I  could  never  have  found  my 
way,  and  would  have  lost  my  life  on  more  than  one 
occasion  had  it  not  been  for  his  timely  aid. 

At  times,  streams,  frozen  with  ice  and  covered 
with  snow,  broke  under  the  weight  of  my  horse  and 
myself,  and  in  I  went,  up  to  the  waist  in  the  chilly 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  249 

water.  At  other  times  my  horse  stepped  into  holes 
filled  level  with  snow,  and  sank  so  far  into  them 
that  my  guide  had  to  come  to  my  assistance  and  dig 
me  out.  Often  our  horses  made  missteps,  a  loose 
stone  rolled  under  foot,  and  away  went  both  horse 
and  rider,  down  the  mountain  side.  That  we  escaped 
breaking  our  necks,  or  being  dashed  to  pieces,  often 
seemed  a  wonder  to  me.  After  one  of  these  slips, 
our  poor  brutes  stood  trembling  like  aspens,  with 
the  saddles  either  upon  their  nocks,  or  hanging 
under  their  bellies,  but  we  cinched  them  up  and 
began  the  ascent — once  more  taking  our  lives  in  our 
hands. 

At  places  the  road  led  for  miles  through  dark 
and  narrow  mountain  canons,  in  which  the  over 
hanging  rocks  came  so  close  together  that  the  sky 
could  seldom  be  seen  between  them.  Then  again 
we  had  to  skirt  steep,  almost  perpendicular  preci 
pices,  where  a  path,  cut  in  the  face  of  the  wall  of 
rock,  was  scarcely  broad  enough  to  allow  a  rider  or 
a  loaded  animal  to  pass.  Snow,  ice  and  granite 
wall,  and  once  in  a  while  a  dark  and  gloomy  sky 
was  all  we  could  see,  and  the  deafening  noise  of 
mountain  torrents,  rushing  thousands  of  feet  below 
us,  all  we  could  hear. 

On  a  great  many  of  those  dangerous  places, 
where  from  giddiness  I  feared  to  lose  my  balance, 
I  closed  my  eyes,  dropped  the  bridle  on  the  neck  of 
my  horse,  and  let  him  do  just  as  he  pleased.  It  is 
remarkable  with  what  caution  and  wonderful  sagac- 


250  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

ity,  animals,  bred  in  the  mountains,  follow  the  trail. 
They  seem  to  know  that  a  misstep  might  be  dis 
astrous  to  them.  On  dangerous  spots  they  examine 
with  their  hoofs  the  condition  of  the  road,  often 
drawing  the  hoof  several  times  back  and  forth 
before  they  decide  to  step  down  and  go  on. 

Near  those  dangerous  places,  the  steep  mountain 
slopes  are  covered  with  the  skeletons  of  animals 
which  have  been  collecting  for  hundreds  of  years, 
and  which  are  being  constantly  increased. 

During  the  summer  an  active  travel  prevails 
between  Mendoza  and  Santa  Rosa  de  los  Andes  ; 
troops  of  horses,  cattle  and  loads  of  merchandise  are 
continuously  moving  hither  and  thither.  But  in 
spite  of  all  the  precaution  on  the  part  of  the  leaders 
of  those  caravans,  it  sometimes  happens  that  the 
animals  become  excited,  and  while  trying  to  pass 
one  another,  lose  their  foothold,  slip,  and  roll  head 
long  into  the  depths.  Rescue  is  impossible.  The 
condors  scent  the  blood  from  afar,  pounce  upon  their 
prey,  and  within  a  few  hours  nothing  but  a  cleanly 
picked  skeleton  is  left. 

About  sixty  leguas  from  Mendoza,  still  on 
Argentine  soil,  is  the  station  of  Puiito  de  las  Vacas. 
It  consisted  of  half  a  dozen  huts,  occupied  by  Chil- 
enos,  who  in  this  barren  mountain  country  were 
hunting  the  guanaco  or  camel-sheep  of  the  Cordill 
eras.  The  skin  and  the  meat,  dried  in  the  sun,  are 
brought  to  Chili,  where  both  articles  are  always 
marketable. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  251 

To  afford  ourselves  and  our  horses  a  needed 
rest,  we  intended  to  stay  there  one  day,  but  the 
wild  romantic  mountain  scenery,  coupled  with  the 
hospitality  of  the  inhabitants  of  Punto  de  las  Vacas, 
and  the  novelty  of  guanaco  hunting,  induced  me  to 
prolong  my  stay  a  few  days. 

During  the  time  I  remained  there  I  was  enter 
tained  splendidly.  In  company  with  the  Chileno; 
in  whose  hut  I  lived,  I  explored  all  that  part  of  the 
Cordilleras.  Of  a  morning  we  saddled  our  horses, 
took  lasso  and  bolas,  and  rode  into  the  mountains, 
followed  by  forty  or  fifty  shaggy  little  dogs.  At 
noon  ws  returned,  and  usually  with  a  few  living 
guanacos. 

The  manner  of  hunting  these  animals  is  very 
interesting.  The  dogs,  specially  trained,  drive 
them  out  of  their  hidi.ig  places,  and  in  a  direction 
where  a  rider  can  follow.  If  close  enough  the  rider 
throws  his  bolas — three  iron  balls  fastened  to  the 
end  of  leather  straps  from  two  to  three  feet  in 
length — around  its  legs,  and  brings  it  almost  always 
to  the  ground.  The  dogs  pounce  upon  it,  fasten  to 
the  wool,  and  keep  the  animal  down  until  the 
hunter  comes  and  lassoes  it  about  the  neck.  At  first 
a  guanaco  kicks,  bucks,  jumps,  and  makes  every 
effort  to  get  away,  but  soon  finds  out  that  struggling 
is  in  vain,  that  the  leather  only  draws  tighter,  chok 
ing  its  tongue  still  further  out  of  the  mouth.  Trem 
bling  it  follows  its  captor,  and  often  within  a  short 
time  becomes  as  quiet  and  gentle  as  a  lamb. 


252  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

The  meat  and  the  milk  from  these  animals,  and 
a  few  times  a  day  a  little  mate,  is  the  only  food  of 
those  hardy  and  good-natured  Chilian  hunters. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  fourth  day  we  took 
leave  of  Punto  de  las  Vacas,  so  as  to  reach  the  same 
evening  the  foot  of  the  Cuinbre  pass,  a  distance  of 
about  four  leguas. 

As  soon  as  we  had  left  the  settlement  the  road 
began  to  trend  upward,  and  brought  us  within 
a  short  march  into  the  region  of  snow  and  ice. 
When  we  reached  our  destination  it  was  dark, 
and  the  twinkling  stars  all  we  had  to  guide  us. 
We  shoveled  the  snow  from  the  ground,  spread 
our  blankets  down  on  the  hard-frozen  earth,  tied 
some  sheep  skins  over  the  backs  of  our  horses, 
and  turned  in. 

Our  rest  was  broken  by  the  coldness  and 
unpleasantness  of  the  night.  A  sharp  cutting 
wind  rushed  howling  over  us,  and  when  towards 
midnight  a  heavy  snow  storm  set  in,  our  situation 
began  to  go  from  bad  to  worse.  Covered  with  snow 
and  blankets,  and  shivering  with  cold,  I  lighted  my 
pipe,  and  tried  to  keep  my  limbs  from  freezing. 

Finding  it  impossible  to  sleep  we  got  up  before 
day-dawn,  saddled  our  horses,  sharpened  the  irons 
on  their  hoofs,  and  made  ready  to  start  on  the 
tedious  and  perilous  journey  we  had  before  us.  Up  a 
zig-zag  path  we  climbed  the  face  of  an  almost  per 
pendicular  mountain,  at  least  a  thousand  feet  in 
height,  and  arrived  at  the  summit  shortly  after  sun- 


TEA  VEL,    ETC.  253 

rise,  dripping  with  perspiration  in  spite  of  the 
intense  cold. 

The  panorama  which  spread  itself  before  my 
eyes  amply  repaid  the  hardships  of  the  last  hours. 
It  was  so  wonderful,  so  bewitching  that  I  have 
never  in  my  life  seen  anything  to  compare  with  it. 
No  pen  is  able  to  describe,  no  brush  to  reproduce 
it.  In  spite  of  the  icy  cold  and  the  intensely  rare 
fied  atmosphere,  which  forced  the  blood  from  my 
nose,  I  unthinkingly  stopped  my  horse  and  indulged 
in  a  few  minutes'  contemplation  of  this  grand  dis 
play  of  Almighty  power. 

Tears  came  to  my  eyes  at  the  sight  of  such  a 
splendor,  such  a  sublimity  of  nature.  My  guide 
called  for  me  to  hurry  on,  or  I  surely  would  have 
reveled  a  little  longer  in  those  thousands  on  thou 
sands  of  peaks  below  us,  covered  with  snow  and  ice, 
and  glittering  in  the  rays  of  the  early  sun  like  gold 
and  precious  stones. 

At  the  end  of  this  plateau,  scarcely  five  hundred 
feet  long,  and  about  fifteen  thousand  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea,  stood  a  large  wooden  cross,  roughly 
nailed  together.  It  served  as  the  boundary  post 
or  monument  between  Chili  and  Argentine. 

From  here  our  trail  led  downward  very  rapidly. 
The  slopes  on  the  Chilian  side  were  steeper  than 
those  in  Argentine,  and  the  road  full  of  obstacles 
and  hinderances.  By  the  evening  we  had  the  worst 
part  of  our  journey  behind  us,  and  were  out  of  the 
region  of  inhospitable  snow  and  ice. 


254  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

Just  after  dark  we  reached  the  station  Guardia 
Vieja,  situated  in  a  green,  romantic  little  valley, 
and  decided  to  remain  there  over  night. 

In  the  house  of  our  landlord,  a  Chilian  farmer, 
joy  and  merriment  prevailed.  On  the  porch,  cov 
ered  with  vines,  men  and  women  gathered,  and 
sang  to  the  music  of  the  guitar,  or  danced,  with  all 
the  abandon  of  passion,  the  national  dance — the 
Samaeueca. 

We  turned  our  horses  into  a  meadow,  where 
for  the  first  time  since  we  left  Mendoza,  they  had  a 
chance  to  enjoy  a  hearty  feed  of  alfalfa.  In  the 
meantime  supper  was  prepared  for  us,  and  when 
we  had  finished  we  joined  for  a  while  in  their 
pleasant  amusement.  But  our  day's  hardship  had 
tired  us  out,  and  not  in  the  mood  for  dancing  and 
merriment  we  soon  wished  the  company  good-night, 
lay  down,  with  our  saddles  for  pillows,  and  slept 
soundly  until  the  next  morning. 

The  sun  stood  high  in  the  heavens  as  we  parted 
from.  Guardia  Vieja.  The  road  from  here  to  Santa 
Rosa  de  los  Andes  was  beautiful,  and  in  comparison 
to  that  passed  through  the  previous  days,  a  regular 
boulevard  ride.  Along  the  bank  of  the  Colorado 
river,  through  forest,  dales  and  valleys,  over  hills, 
scarcely  a  few  hundred  feet  in  height,  we  followed 
our  trail.  In  the  afternoon  we  reached  a  little  place, 
the  home  of  my  guide.  I  dismissed  him,  paid  him 
his  five  dollars,  with  a  little  gratuity  besides,  and 
continued  my  way  alone. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  265 

It  was  almost  dark  as  I  came  in  sight  of  Santa 
Rosa  de  los  Andes.  I  felt  pleased  to  have  reached 
it,  and  it  seemed  that  my  horse  felt  so  too,  for  he 
pricked  up  his  ears,  whinnied  at  the  approaching 
night,  and  broke  of  his  own  accord  into  a  faster 
gait. 

About  half  a  legua  from  Santa  Rosa  the  road 
branched  off  in  different  directions.  I  stopped  my 
horse  a  moment,  hesitated,  and  then  followed  the 
trail,  which,  according  to  my  calculations,  ought  to 
be  the  right  one.  The  path  becoming  narrower,  a 
little  later  formed  a  kind  of  mole,  with  a  ditch  at 
either  side.  Seeing  my  mistake  I  intended  to  turn, 
and  while  doing  so  my  horse  slipped  and  fell  head 
long  into  the  icy  waters  of  the  Cordilleras. 

Floundering  up  to  my  waist  in  it,  and  shiver 
ing  with  cold,  I  at  last  got  my  horse  out  on  the 
opposite  bank.  Darkness  in  the  meantime  had 
settled  down,  and  leading  the  horse  I  made  my  way 
across  the  meadows  towards  the  gleam  of  a  distant 
light. 

An  old  Chilena,  aroused  by  the  barking  of  her 
dogs,  received  me  at  the  entrance  of  her  cottage, 
and  invited  me  to  step  in  and  make  myself  com 
fortable.  When  I  had  told  her  of  my  bad  luck, 
she  gave  me  an  old  petticoat  to  wear  while  my 
clothes  were  being  dried.  I  slipped  it  over  my 
head,  slung  an  old  poncho  around  my  shoulders, 
and  sat  down  in  front  of  the  fire,  which  was  burn 
ing  on  the  ground.  She  led  my  horse  to  a  meadow, 


266  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

and  made  arrangements  to  prepare  a  supper  for 
me. 

A  little  later  a  young  girl  appeared  in  the  cot 
tage,  whom  the  old  Chilian  woman  introduced  to 
me  as  her  daughter.  After  I  had  eaten  and  warmed 
myself,  the  girl  picked  up  a  guitar,  and  to  its  accom 
paniment  sang  some  of  those  sadly  beautiful  mel 
odies  of  her  South  American  home. 

My  stay  in  Santa  Rosa  de  los  Andes  was  of  a 
longer  duration  than  I  originally  intended  to  make 
it.  The  girl  and  I  became  great  friends  ;  we  chatted 
and  laughed  and  passed  the  time  together  most 
pleasantly.  During  the  day  I  rode  with  her  for 
hours  in  the  charming  country  surrounding  Santa 
Rosa,  and  when  at  last  the  day  of  my  departure 
came,  I  felt  depressed  and  miserable. 

Concha — my  young  friend's  name — had  told 
me  on  the  second  day  of  our  acquaintance  that  the 
old  Chilena  was  not  her  mother,  but  a  far-away 
relation,  to  whom,  according  to  the  custom  of  poor 
country  people,  her  parents  had  pledged  her  for  a 
small  sum  of  money,  which  the  old  woman  had 
loaned  them.  I  promised  her  to  return  from  Val 
paraiso,  to  redeem  her,  and  to  take  her  along  with 
me  to  the  coast. 

I  took  leave  of  them,  and  by  way  of  San  Felipe, 
Llai-llai  and  Quillota  in  three  days  rode  to  Valpa 
raiso,  a  distance  of  about  thirty -five  leguas. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

My  entrance  into  Valparaiso  apparently 
attracted  the  attention  of  a  good  many  of  the  pas 
sers-by,  who  may  have  taken  me  for  a  highwayman, 
judging  from  my  torn  and  dirty  clothing  and  the 
condition  of  my  face,  sore  and  scarred  from  the  cold 
and  winds  of  the  mountains. 

At  a  livery  stable  in  the  Calle  del  Cabo  I  sold 
my  horse,  and,  although  it  was  low  in  flesh  and 
saddle-galled,  I  received  thirty  dollars  for  it.  I  had 
bought  it  in  Mendoza  for  twelve  dollars,  and  there 
fore  got  a  hint,  which  resulted  in  my  of  later  doing 
some  business  in  horse-trading. 

I  secured  my  trunk,  which  in  the  meantime 
had  arrived  from  Rio  de  Janeiro,  went  to  a  hotel, 
cleaned  and  dressed  myself  up,  and  appeared  half 
an  hour  later  outwardly  a  little  more  respectable. 

Up  to  that  time  I  had,  during  my  not  very  long 
life,  suffered  from  a  good  many  diseases,  but  never 
before  had  they  attacked  me  so  suddenly  and  in 
such  numbers  as  now,  upon  my  arrival  in  Val 
paraiso. 

Whether  my  state  of  health  was  to  be  attributed 
to  the  recent  hardships  and  privations  I  had  gone 
through  was,  of  course,  impossible  to  say,  and, 
under  the  circumstances,  of  little  importance  any 
how. 

(267) 


258  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

First  I  suffered  from  inflammation  of  the  liver, 
a  little  later  from  inflammation  of  the  bowels,  and 
had  scarcely  recovered  from  that  when  the  dysentry 
came  on  top  of  it.  The  dysentry  developed  into 
such  a  severe  type  that  within  a  few  days  I  became 
a  skeleton,  and  my  weight  was  reduced  from  about 
150  pounds  to  less  than  half. 

During  the  time  I  suffered  from  imflammation 
of  the  liver  and  bowels  I  was  cared  for  in  a  hospital, 
but  during  the  attack  of  dysentry  I  was  in  my  own 
room,  which  I  had  taken  in  a  Chilian  private 
family. 

The  dysentry  sapped  what  little  strength  my 
other  sickness  had  left  and  brought  me  to  the  help 
less  condition  of  a  child.  *Three  doctors,  of  differ 
ent  nationalities  were  called  one  after  another,  and 
every  one  quacksalved  and  tried  his  science  on  me, 
but  without  being  able  to  stop  the  course  of  my 
disease. 

One  of  those  doctors,  a  very  renowned  man, 
gave  me  things  to  be  swallowed,  which,  used  as 
medicine,  I  had  never  heard  of  before.  Sometimes 
it  consisted  of  common  blotting  paper,  rolled 
together  in  little  balls,  sometimes  of  pulverized 
charcoal,  and  sometimes  again  of  brick-dust,  moist 
ened  with  turpentine. 

Whether  those  medicines  had  cured  his  former 
patients  or  not,  I,  of  course,  do  not  know,  but  I  do 
know  that  they  did  not  have  the  slightest  effect 
upon  me. 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  259 

A  friend  of  my  landlord,  who  was  the  captain 
of  a  Chilian  gunboat,  came  into  my  room  one  day 
and  said  that  he  was  to  sail  for  the  island  of  Juan 
Fernandez,  inviting  me  at  the  same  time  to  go 
along  with  him.  He  thought  that  a  change  of 
climate  would  be  the  only  cure  for  me,  and  would 
do  me  more  good  than  all  the  doctors  and  all  the 
medicines  in  the  world. 

I  accepted  his  kind  invitation,  and  a  few  days 
later  was  on  the  way  to  those  charming  little 
islands,  belonging  to  Chili,  and  situated  scarcely 
400  miles  from  the  coast. 

I  was  so  weak  that  sailors  were  obliged  to  carry 
me  from  my  bed  into  a  carriage,  from  the  carriage 
into  a  boat,  and  from  there  on  board  of  the  gun 
boat.  The  effect 'of  the  bracing,  health-giving  sea 
air  upon  me  was  wonderful,  and  when,  fourteen 
days  later,  I  returned  to  Valparaiso  I  fellas  though 
returning  to  a  new  world. 

After  nature  had  restored  me  entirely  I  decided 
to  carry  out  my  former  intention. 

One  morning  I  started  for  Santa  Rosa  de  los 
Andes,  and  upon  my  arrival  there  was  entranced  to 
clasp  my  sweetheart  to  my  breast.  She  owed  the 
old  Chilian  woman  some  twenty  dollars;  I  paid  it, 
redeemed  her,  and  took  her  along  as  my  friend  and 
companion. 

In  Santa  Rosa  de  los  Andes  I  had  to  wait  for 
horses  from  Mendoza,  and,  when  at  last  a  troop 
arrived,  I  selected  a  number,  and  drove  them  wtt* 


260  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

the  assistance  of  Concha  and  two  peons  to  the 
coast. 

Like  all  South  American  women,  born  and 
reared  in  the  interior,  Concha,  too,  was  familiar 
with  horses  and  everything  cencerning  them.  Dur 
ing  the  day  we  traveled  on  an  average  of  ahout  ten 
leguas,  and  at  night  turned  the  animals  into  a 
corral,  or  into  the  meadow  of  some  farmer  living 
along  the  road. 

It  is  necessary  to  see  those  women  on  horse 
back  in  order  to  form  any  idea  of  their  splendid 
horsewomenship.  Concha  was  as  much  at  home  on 
a  bare-backed  horse  as  in  the  saddle,  and  she  could 
use  her  lasso  with  the  same  precision  and  dexterity 
as  the  peons  used  theirs.  Any  horse  that  took  it 
into  his  head  to  run  away  from  the  band  might  be 
sure  that  within  a  few  minutes  it  would  be  over 
taken,  and  a  lasso  around  its  neck,  brought  back  by 
her. 

In  my  undertaking  I  was  very  fortunate  from 
the  beginning.  Horses  that  I  bought  in  Santa 
Rosa  I  could  dispose  of  partly  in  the  cities  and 
villages  through  which  I  came,  and  the  rest  in  Val 
paraiso  during  the  first  few  days.  The  profit  was  a 
very  good  one,  and  repaid  me  sufficiently  for  the 
trouble  connected  with  such  a  business. 

Sometimes  we  remained  only  two  or  three 
days  in  Valparaiso  before  returning  to  Santa 
Rosa,  where  we  bought  another  lot  of  horses, 
drove  them  toward  the  coast,  and  continued  this 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  *61 

business  until  the  winter  closed  the  passes  of  the 
Cordilleras. 

Then,  as  man  and  wife,  we  traveled  about  Chili, 
seeing  and  enjoying  almost  everything  in  this 
lovely  country  that  nature  could  offer. 

With  my  beloved  Concha  I  led  a  most  enviable 
life,  and  enjoyed,  as  surely  but  few  of  my  fellowmeri 
do,  that  pure  happiness  of  love  that  exists  only 
between  men  and  women  who  are  not  yet  polluted 
by  the  vices  of  this  world.  In  her  charming  society 
the  days  passed  as  in  a  dream  of  delight,  and  I 
thought  seriously  of  giving  up  all  ideas  of  the  Phil 
ippines  and  setting  down  with  her  in  the  southern 
part  of  Chili,  in  the  Province  of  Valdivia,  so  abun 
dantly  blessed  by  nature. 

But  an  eager  desire  to  see  Peru  and  the  ruins 
of  the  ancient  Iiica  rule  I  wished  first  to  realize. 
Therefore  we  sailed  for  Iquique,  from  whence  we 
intended  to  travel  into  the  interior. 

At  the  saltpetre  mines  in  the  Province  of  Tar- 
apaca,  still  belonging  in  those  days  to  Peru,  offers 
were  made  me,  which  were  so  tempting  that  I 
decided  to  remain  for  a  while  at  least,  so  as  to 
become  acquainted  with  this  line  of  business  and 
at  the  same  time  to  increase  my  supply  of  cash. 

The  manner  in  which  saltpetre  is  carried  over 
the  sandhills  and  deserts  towards  the  coast,  to 
Iquique,  Mole,  Mejillones,  Pisagua  and  Junin, 
seems  excessively  cruel  for  those  wretched  little 
half-starved  donkeys  that  pack  this  stuff.  The  poor 


262  TRAVEL,    ETC. 

beasts  receive  from  their  hard-hearted  drivers  more 
lashes  than  food,  and  as  long  as  a  single  bit  of 
strength  remains  in  them  have  to  stagger  on.  When 
they  break  down  in  the  road,  and  even  the  cruelest 
torturing  cannot  bring  them  up,  they  are  left  where 
they  are.  The  salty  evaporation  of  the  soil  dries 
them  up  to  mummies,  or  the  hawks  and  buzzards 
pick  what  little  flesh  is  left  from  their  bones. 

Those  barren,  deserted  wastes,  where  no  water, 
no  trees,  no  brushwood,  not  even  a  blade  of  grass 
can  be  found,  are  simply  discouraging.  The  prov 
ince  is  rich  in  underground  treasure,  but  on  the 
surface  it  is  a  picture  of  misery  and  desolation. 

The  water  in  the  mines  is  bad,  salty,  and 
scarcely  fit  to  drink,  and  on  the  coast,  where  it  is 
condensed  from  salt  water,  very  expensive.  Some 
times  when  I  came  down  to  the  coast  my  horse 
drank  a  dollar's  worth  of  water  within  a  few  hours. 

In  a  little  cottage,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  mine 
La  Noria,  Concha  and  I  lived,  according  to  circum 
stances,  quite  comfortably. 

We  were  on  the  eve  of  leaving  this  inhospitable 
district,  when,  one  day,  my  companion  was  confined 
to  her  bed.  Fever  attacks,  shivering,  reddening 
of  the  skin,  and  intense  pain  in  her  spine  set  in, 
which  by  her  Peruvian  servant  were  taken  as  the 
prescience  of  viruelas  negras.  Her  opinion,  unfor 
tunately,  proved  to  be  true ;  a  few  days  later,  face, 
arms,  and  a  part  of  her  body  began  to  cover  with 
the  poisonous  substance  of  this  dreadful  disease, 


TRAVEL,    ETC.  263 

which  in  those  countries  is  more  or  less  always 
prevalent. 

Medical  assistance,  which,  perhaps,  would  any 
way  have  been  of  no  avail,  could  not  be  got.  The 
only  doctor  in  the  district  lived  about  three  leguas 
away.  I  rode  to  him,  begged  and  implored  him  to 
come  with  me,  but  from  fear  of  his  own  safety  he 
would  not  do  it.  Willingly  I  would  have  given  him 
my  very  last  dollar  had  he  but  returned  with  me 
and  attempted  to  save  my  Concha. 

The  disease  took  a  sudden  turn.  The  viruelas 
settled  in  the  windpipe  and  caused  death  by  suffo 
cation.  Under  immense  efforts  to  breathe  she 
expired  one  night  in  my  arms. 

The  grief  which  came  over  me  as  I  held  the 
lifeless  form  of  my  departed  love  within  my  arms 
is  impossible  to  describe,  and  can  be  understood 
only  by  those  who,  perhaps,  have  been  in  a  similar 
situation. 

I  pressed  fervent  kisses  on  the  disfigured  coun 
tenance  of  my  beloved  Concha,  and  could  scarcely 
believe  it  possible  that  the  eyes,  which  had  so  often 
smiled  on  me  in  love  and  happiness,  would  never 
re-open  in  this  world. 

Scarcely  had  I  laid  the  remains  of  my  once 
charming  companion  to  rest  than  I,  too,  was  thrown 
on  a  sick  bed,  but  fate  treated  me  more  kindly,  and 
instead  of  vkuelas  prietas  I  was  afflicted  with  vir 
uelas  locas  (a  mild  form  of  smallpox),  from  which 
within  a  few  weeks  I  had  recovered. 


264 


TRAVEL,    ETC. 


Depressed  and  disgusted  with  myself  for  hav 
ing  left  beautiful  Chili,  I  stood  almost  despairing 
at  the  grave  of  my  departed  love.  But  I  called  all 
my  self-control  into  play,  pulled  myself  together, 
and  decided  to  abandon  a  country  in  which,  twice, 
the  iron  hand  of  destiny  had  destroyed  my  happi 
ness  in  such  a  cruel  manner. 

I  left  Peru  and  went  by  way  of  San  Francisco, 
Yokohama  and  Hongkong  to  Manila,  where,  after 
having  been  absent  for  about  ten  years,  I,  one 
morning  re-appeared. 


How  I  settled  in  the  Philippines,  how  I  built 
up  a  mercantile  house,  and  how  I  traveled  in 
Europe,  Asia,  America,  Africa  and  Australia,  will 
appear  in  a  later  volume* 


U.C.BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


CDl4S57Eflfll4 


J 


